By Phil Donnell | Funding Manager
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. Siyahlomula Crèche in Swayimani, KZN, is a good example of a social project started by SHG members in their community. It was established by the Sizanani Cluster Level Association (CLA) in April 2012 and today it has over 20 children. The crèche was partly started to assist young school-going mothers to have a safe place to look after their infants as they needed to return to school to complete their education.
Mam’ Khumalo*, a Sizanani CLA representative, says that the rest of the community are very supportive towards the running of this crèche. Two SHG members run the crèche which is open to children of SHG members and also the wider community. Parents make a contribution of between R30 - R50 per month per child for food and meeting running expenses of the crèche.
Mam’ Ngubane*, 66 years, is a member of S’thembokuhle SHG, formed in June 2014 by Thandanani Children’s Fund at Willowfontein, KZN. She used to work as a preschool teacher for eight years before she joined her SHG but lost her job due to ill health. She was approached by parents in her area to assist them with their children and so she started a pre-school in her home with three children and this number grew to 15. The parents pay R100/month per child.
She shares that being in her group has really helped with her preschool as she now can borrow a loan from her group if needed for extra food costs or to replace broken toys. She says “I am hoping that one day with loans from my group I will be able to build a separate structure for my preschool.”
In 2015, more than 18 000 women around South Africa are now active in more than 1 300 SHGs; they have initiated almost 2 000 social projects within their communities. Many thanks for your interest in and support of women in SHGs. 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
* denotes not her real name.
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