Self-help Groups for 2000 poor women in S. Africa

Over the past two years, SHG members in dozens of groups have embarked on housing initiatives instead of waiting for government to build houses promised during election campaigns. The result is that hundreds of women have used SHG loans to build or renovate their home.

Zamani SHG, formed in March 2011 in KZN, has 20 members; after saving for two months the SHG had accumulated R280 from their savings. They thought of ways to grow this money to meet each other’s
developmental needs, and started making and selling grass mats. In the first month they generated R500 profit and decided to continue with their activity until they had generated R1 500 more so that two members could receive     R1000 ($125) each to use as needed. During 2011, 13 members of the group received a R1000 loan.

Hlengiwe, who was the recipient of the first R1 000 in Zamani SHG, shared a government-built house with 14 other family members, including three of her own children. She tells how her membership of Zamani SHG helped her build her own one-room house for her and her children to live in.

“When I first heard of being in a group like ours, I never thought that this R2.00 ($0.25) could help me and my family
to have an additional house. I feel so special knowing that when I told my fellow group members about my housing problem, they came to my rescue. I now have a home - it’s now called the R2.00 house. All I know is that I won’t let
go of being a member of this group, it has done wonders for me and my family!”

Many thanks to all our donors over the past year; we appreciate your support. Sinamandla has not  reached its fundraising targets on GlobalGiving so please would you consider making a donation in 2012 in order to
help Sinamandla assist up to 2 000 vulnerable women in poor communities? Please do think of any family member or friend who would be interested in the work of Sinamandla through its Self-help Groups and do forward them our website link.