By Phil Donnell | Funding Manager
Siyathuthuka Self-help Group (SHG) was formed in November 2011 in Bergville’s Emaswazini village, KZN, with 16 members by USIZO, a Sinamandla partner. During 2014 the SHG members discussed in their group about the lack of clean drinking water in their community. For years they have not had access to the amount of water that they needed and this had affected the quality of life in their households, the health of their livestock and also their ability to grow vegetables. Their only source of getting drinking water is queuing with their buckets or containers by the side of the road for the municipal water tank vehicle which comes on specified days to their village.
The Siyathuthuka members came up with a solution to assist themselves to get enough clean water that will last each household for longer periods. The decision was taken that each SHG member would get access to an extra R500 loan from the group so that they could purchase larger barrels/drums or a JoJo tank to store the amount of water they needed. To date eight of the sixteen Siyathuthuka SHG members have received a total of R4 000 towards this venture and as soon a loan is repaid by one member that amount goes to another member so that everyone in the group has had their turn.
The SHG members say that this is one example of how being in an SHG has contributed positively toward making a difference in their lives and in their households. Other benefits mentioned include meeting the education needs of their children, starting small income-generating activities, and renovating or extending their homes.
Many thanks for your interest and support. Sinamandla continues to work towards reaching its fundraising targets on GlobalGiving so please consider making a donation in 2015 in order to help Sinamandla promote the SHG project around 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. Our SHG project book, “Moving ourselves out of poverty”, is available for $30.00 including postage – to order email info@sinamandla.org.za
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