An ensemble of well-known musicians, dancers and actors will form part of this year's Women's Day celebration, hosted by international hardware vendor Acer, in conjunction with business partners Kaizer Chiefs, YFM, Intel and Fig Technology.

A gala dinner will serve to raise awareness and funds for the fight against woman and child abuse in SA.

According to Stella Helwick, marketing manager at Acer, the project is enjoying tremendous support. "Companies and individuals from all spheres of South African life have come together to ensure the success of this project."

She explains that proceeds from the event will go to the Open Disclosure Foundation for the establishment of a safe house for abuse victims as well as creating a cyber centre that will help empower women by assisting them to acquire IT skills.

The charity dinner to be held on 7 August at Vodaworld in Midrand, and will be directed and choreographed by Esther Nasser. The evening's entertainment will include storytelling and theatre by kwaito singer, Andile Gaelesiwe and acclaimed actress Sandra Prinsloo, while the South African Ballet Theatre will perform the 'Rose Adage' from the ballet 'The Sleeping Beauty'. Also on the agenda are jazz performances, theatre and acrobats.

Says Nasser: "We commissioned Schalk Schoombie to write the script for the evening and Andre Abrahamse and his band will be responsible for the music.

“However, they are not the only musicians on stage that night; Thandi Klaasen will also put in a performance, among others."

Prinsloo talks about her involvement in the project as well as her commitment to the fight against abuse, saying that there is no social barrier when it comes to domestic violence.

"Because abuse and battering are so deeply attached to shame, even speaking about the situation might seem an insurmountable problem to some victims. Whether financially privileged or not, women face the same pain and threat across the board."

Open Disclosure is a foundation formulated specifically to deal with victims of sexual abuse and is spearheaded by Gaelesiwe. Having recently gone public with her own childhood abuse, she is an advocate for open discussion. "I believe that talking is therapy and therapy is talking - therefore disclosing is the first step towards healing, when it comes to abuse."

Local radio station Yfm CEO, Dirk Hartford, comments that they are thrilled at the momentum gained by the campaign against abuse. "I want to thank Andile, a dear member of the Yfm family, for her hard work and also all the event sponsors for allocating resources towards the gruelling fight against abuse in our nation."

Helwick comments that this is to be an evening of celebration, applauding women and the strength they possess.

"Apart from raising money to fight abuse, we also want to use this gala dinner to honour the women and children who have come through this sort of ordeal as victors. At Acer we believe that if you empower a woman, you empower a nation, that is why the theme of the evening is: Women of Courage and Strength."

Parties interested in purchasing tables at this event can contact Sandra Correia on telephone (011) 653-4000, or e-mail: Sandra_Correia@acerafrica.com.