Our Story
About The Equinox Trust
The founders of The Equinox Trust have witnessed how the powerful interactions between horses and humans have encouraged journeys of positive change within individuals and this has been the fundamental motivation for the founding of The Equinox Trust.
Equinox was founded out of a realisation that those most in need of emotional support often lack the financial resources to access this type of therapeutic service.
Their aim was thus to be able to reach the wider communities within the Cape Town area and offer support to as many people as possible.
Since the founding of our organisation we have further developed what we offer and provide our unique services to the general public.
Vision and Mission
VISION
We envision a world where individuals are emotionally empowered, self-aware, caring and connected to others, and are responsible in their decision making, reaching their fullest potential, thriving in a peaceful world.
MISSION
The Equinox Trust’s mission is to foster the social and emotional development and enhance the overall well-being of members of society through enriching, equine assisted experiential programmes. In the partnership with horses, participants will engage in experiential ground-based activities that do not involve horse riding. These activities enable them to become self-aware by learning to recognise and identify their needs and be empowered to make positive choices to support and achieve their goals and manage their challenges.
Our Team
Our Team Members
Fiona Bromfield
Trustee and Financial &
Operations Manager
Fiona has a BSocSc degree from UCT and a BA Honours degree in Psychology from Stellenbosch, as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (P.G.C.E.) from the University of Cape Town.
She is also a qualified Counsellor (S.A. College of Applied Psychology) and a registered Specialist Wellness Counsellor (Association for Supportive Counsellors and Holistic Practitioners).
Through her studies, she discovered a passion for helping both adults and children, and she has spent the last 15 years working in the model of Equine Assisted Therapy & Learning.
She enjoys being able to work with people in conjunction with horses, enabling a powerful learning process.
Email: fiona@equinoxtrust.org
Sarah Garland
Trustee and Public Relations &
Programme Manager
Sarah has had a lifelong passion for and relationship with horses and is constantly inspired by their way of being and their power of presence. Sarah has always had a passion for people and enjoyed being around people and helping those in need.
Being able to pair her two passions in life to create a place of healing and harmony has been a dream. Sarah studied at The University of Cape Town and specialised in Clinical Social Work and after completing her Honours she wanted to explore her passion for working with children so she studied a P.G.C.E. (Post Graduate Certificate in Education).
Sarah was then introduced to a modality of therapy that engages both horses and people and immediately trained through Eagala (Equine Assisted Growth & Learning Association). Sarah decided to further her knowledge and skills of working with people through completing her Masters in Clinical Social Work.
Sarah has completed her Advanced Certification in Eagala, which furthers her skills in equine therapy. Sarah is excited to share her passion and knowledge of horses helping people.
Email: sarah@equinoxtrust.org
Anneke Gouws
Trustee and Board Member
Anneke has been acting as an Equine Assisted Learning facilitator full time since October 2013. She was first involved with Equitots until she started her own Non-Profit Company, EQuivalence, in October 2016. She is certified with EAGALA and continuously works on areas of personal development and coaching, depending on the mental health professional she is collaborating with at the time.
She has learnt a lot about reading people and tapping into what they need. She has always been in a leadership/mentoring position from school and has had overseas opportunities developing those qualities. Her passion is to help children, as well as their families. She has a strong pull towards assisting children in foundation phase development and starting to incorporate horses to assist in the education process.”
Our Board Members
Carol-Ann Brand
Board Member
I am a fundraising professional working in the NGO environment for more than 14 years, as this is where my passion lies. I am a wife and mother and grandmother to 3 awesome grandchildren.
I consider it an honour to serve as a member of the Board of the Equinox Trust, because I can give, to those in need.
I hope to use my own experience as a fundraiser, and my passion for the Equinox Trust to assist where I can, and to be a part of the upward trajectory of this notable organisation.
Moriedah Dien
Board Member
My name is Moriedah Dien and I am the Executive Director of Dews of Quietness, as well as a Board member of The Equinox Trust.
I have served at Steenberg SAPS in the capacity as a volunteer since 2003 and reservist for 12 years. I’ve always been available and for the last 4 years I've assisted in the VEP space, handling cases of domestic and gender-based violence as well as do referrals to relevant role-players and networking partners to assist the clients that came to the Police Station.
Dews of Quietness was founded and established by Moeriedah Dien in 2012 and is an organisation that provides a safe, supportive, and nurturing place for women, children and victims of domestic violence and abuse.
DoQ provides support and relief to women and children by providing victims with safe and secure shelter. There is a strong focus on equipping women with the tools and skills needed for them to develop and rebuild their human dignity and self-esteem so that they may improve their quality of life and make healthier life choices and decisions.
What people have to say