Help S. African women build income & HIV awareness

This story, told by Ms. K. Dlamini, shows the support she received from Hlomelikusasa empowered her and enabled her to find business opportunities along with her community members.

“I am a qualified dressmaker and years ago, I tried to form a group in my community but there was a lack of community members’ interest. I had lost hope when I met Hlomelikusasa in 1998 with the help of Ms Mkhize who explained to me how she got empowered by this organization. I attended their meetings and workshops where I was encouraged and realized that it was not only me who encountered lack of interest in the communities but that all groups had encountered this challenge. A group was finally formed in my community and we started working in small income-generating projects.

When the Social Worker in my area saw our work she introduced us to the cluster funding application where we received 8 sewing machines, sewing material, wood hut for sewing, two large containers for sewing material and for bakery thanks to the recommendation from Hlomelikusasa. After a while we went to six schools to get sewing contracts where we sew school uniforms and tracksuits for the students. The project is mostly busy during school, which reopens every January and winter.”

Hlomelikusasa plays a key role in assisting community groups in rural South Africa to start their own small businesses to become self-sustainable by providing training in small business skills development, basic bookkeeping, marketing and outreach as well as how to obtain government contracts (called tenders) to provide services to local government offices.