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

All Self-help groups (SHGs) are encouraged to include a social project in their annual action plan that benefits their households and the wider community, especially children. Many social projects target orphaned and vulnerable children, who are living in households that are barely surviving on government grants and have no employed person in their home.

Zizamele Crèche is one such social project of Zizamele SHG in Willowfountain, KZN. The Crèche first opened its doors in April 2016 and has accommodated 40 children since then. Zizamele Crèche caters for children from three months to four years and it charges between R100-120 ($7-9) per child per month. The crèche helps its community through the low monthly fee for each child and it provides the opportunity to parents to have their children left in safe hands while they are at work or school. The Crèche caters mostly for infants whose mothers are still schooling and also some orphaned children

At the end of 2018, 25 children in Msinga, KZN, benefited from the Khazimula CLA orphan and vulnerable children project by receiving new school uniforms. The CLA aims to enable the children to go to school with dignity like all other children in their schools. The children were so excited that they now have new school wear.

Thembananiyethu CLA Orphaned and Vulnerable Child Care Project in Swayimani, KZN, cares for 20 orphaned and vulnerable children using skills developed over the ten years that the CLA has served in their community. The CLA is able to sustain their social project through generating their own income. One recent example of their income-generation activities is a poultry business. The project rented a poultry house from an SHG member for their business and are able to complete a cycle of 100 chickens every 6 weeks, while making a profit of almost R1,100 ($80) per cycle after all expenses.

Many thanks for your interest in and support of Sinamandla and its work with women in SHGs, who are making a positive contribution to the lives of children. Please would you consider a donation to Sinamandla in 2019 which will be greatly appreciated! Please do like us on Facebook at sinamandlaselfhelpgroup. Our SHG book, “Moving ourselves out of poverty”, is available for $40.00 including postage – to order directly from Sinamandla email info@sinamandla.org.za.

South Africa currently has an official unemployment rate of around 27%. This increases to over 40% for young people, and even over 50% in some rural countries. It contributes significantly to the high rate of poverty in the country. Therefore, assisting young people to secure employment or to become self-employed is a key concern for many women in Self-help groups (SHGs) and Clusters (CLAs).

One example is Hlanganani CLA in Tafelkop, KZN, who has been supported in 2018 by Zimele Wethu Foundation, a Sinamandla partner, to establish a Computer School that will provide basic computer skills to young people preparing to start college or seeking jobs or self-employment. Hlanganani CLA contributed 20% of the total cost for the establishment of the Computer School and also built the Computer school itself; Zimele Wethu Foundation secured funding for the remaining costs. They received desktop computers and computer tables in early 2018 and are the only Computer School in the community as the next closest one is over 40 kms away. Currently there are 16 students enrolled for a 3-months course at a fee of R550.00 ($40) each.

Many thanks for your interest in and support of Sinamandla and its work with women in SHGs, who are making a positive contribution to the lives of children and young people. Please would you consider a donation to Sinamandla in 2018 which will be greatly appreciated!

You can subscribe to our E-newsletter via the Sinamandla website, like us on Facebook at sinamandlaselfhelpgroup or follow us on Twitter @sinamandlashg. Our SHG book, “Moving ourselves out of poverty”, is available for $40.00 including postage – to order directly from Sinamandla email info@sinamandla.org.za.