By Phil Donnell | Funding Manager
In the Self-help group (SHG) project, Sinamandla capacitate, encourage and support women to start an income-generating activity that provides a monthly income for their household. Usually women do this as individuals but there are various examples of where this takes place successfully as a group income-generating activity.
Yibanathi SHG in KwaNxamalala, KZN, was formed in November 2012 with 20 members by Umvoti Aids Centre, a Sinamandla partner. Previously the group members had embarked on a housing initiative which included making bricks for members that wanted to build or improve their own houses. Recently this initiative turned into a group income-generation activity when the group secured a very large order of bricks from a local business man who is in the construction business. The man saw the group making bricks one day and he proposed that they could sell him bricks instead of him buying from suppliers outside of their community. They then negotiated to initially make 20 000 cement bricks, at R6.00/$0.50 per brick, to supply to his construction of community halls around their area within the next year.
The group used some of their own group funds and also took a loan of R2500 from Sakhisizwe Cluster, of which they are a member, and purchased bags of cement and sand. They divided members into four groups of five that each work one shift per day and each member brings their own spade and a bucket of water daily. They manage to make at least 60 bricks daily. The group will make sales of R120 000/$10 000 (excluding expenses) by the time they complete their order and agreed to divide the profit equally between members. To date the group have already delivered over 6 000 bricks of the order.
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 or follow us on Twitter @sinamandlashg. Our SHG book, “Moving ourselves out of poverty”, is available for R200/$30 including postage – to order directly from Sinamandla email info@sinamandla.org.za or purchase it on Takealot.com.
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