By Phil Donnell | Funding Manager
Currently in South Africa, over 15 000 women are members in 1 125 Self-help Groups (SHGs). In the SHG process, 7-10 SHGs are clustered into a Cluster Level Association (a CLA), usually within one year of formation. Each group sends 2-3 reps to the CLA. The CLA takes up the social, economic and political issues that are beyond the scope of individual SHGs.
After several years, a Federation (a cluster of 7-10 CLAs) can be formed in a large community, which involves setting up a seperate organisation in which each CLA is represented by three or more reps. It concentrates on issues which are of importance for the whole geographic area that it covers, in order to bring about positive change and development.
On 29 August 2014 the first SHG Federation was officially launched in South Africa with great excitement and anticipation in the community of Swayimane, KZN, with over 1 000 SHG members, guests and government departments attending. Intuthuko yo Mama, as the Federation is called, currently has 8 CLAs representing over 100 SHGS and over 1 200 SHG members. The Federation was formed by Zimele, a Sinamandla partner based in Pietermaritzburg.
Intuthuko yo Mama has ten sub-committees including Health, Safety and Security, Social Development, Children’s Education, Human Settlement, and Water and Forestry. The Federation will have a major focus on developing the economic empowerment of its members and the wider community.
“We are so happy. We feel like a woman who has been blessed with a baby,” said Mam’ Albertina, one of the Federation members. She thanked Zimele for all the training, mentorship and support. The women emphasised the importance of self-reliance and said they do not want to depend on government for everything. While they need government’s help with certain matters, they also want to be part of those who make a difference in the country and the economy.
The SHG project was started in Swayimane by Zimele in 2007. The Clusters that are members of the Federation have previously established 11 crèches that benefit over 300 pre-school children, a toy library that links with all the crèches, and a computer school that has benefited over 350 young people and adults to date.
Many thanks for your interest and support. Sinamandla continues to work towards reaching its fundraising targets on GlobalGiving so please consider making a new donation in 2014 in order to help Sinamandla promote the SHG project in South Africa and welcome in more vulnerable women in poor communities to new SHGs in the months ahead.
Sinamandla sends out a monthly E-newsletter, which you can subscribe to via the Sinamandla website and read more stories of SHG women. Please also do like us on Facebook at sinamandlaselfhelpgroup which is updated weekly.
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