Empower Women through the Self Help Group Approach

We now have 48 groups in the project and have started two clusters this year. These are a new level of groups where 2 representatives from various well-functioning self-help groups, meet to lobby for community upliftment. They identify needs in their communities and try to do something about them.

We are also hoping to translate the savings and minute books from Zulu into Sepedi and to print them for our groups before the end of this year.

Since our last report, we have started 6 new groups.  We always stress the importance of starting small income generating projects with our self-help groups. Recently members from several groups have met in two new groups to learn how to do patchwork. The ladies are very enthusiastic and are already making bags. They hope to show others how good they have become on 3 December.

We are all looking forward to our year end learning and sharing event to be held at Thusanang on 3 December. We expect about 300 ladies from all the 48 groups in different villages to attend. They will hear some informative talks, and watch performances of a drama and a poem. There will also be time for renewing friendships, learning from one another,and selling their wares. These include beads and bags, jewellery,  eggs, jams, laundry softener, scarves, beanies and vegetables. This will hopefully be a fitting end to the year's activities and members will go away with renewed enthusiasm for helping themselves and supporting one another in the new year.