Women honoured for uplifting community
SEVEN women from Obanjeni are being celebrated for their role in teaching others how to become self-sufficient through farming.
Nokuthula Mkhize, Thembi Jele, Sibongile Ngema, Zandile Mdluli, Bongumusa Ngema, Gugulethu Ngema and Eunice Mtshali, who form part of a local co-operative, are being recognised ahead of International Day of Rural Women on 15 October.
Part of the initiatives they have spearheaded is the establishment of an after-school support programme to ensure no child in their community went to bed hungry.
They prepared meals for the children in addition to helping 125 households to establish food gardens under the One Home One Food Garden programme to reduce people’s dependence on food parcels.
Last year they formalised themselves into an Ithemba elihle food security cooperative and planted imbuya, which is a rough pigweed.
With the support of Siyazisiza Trust, a non-profit rural socio-economic development organisation, they exported imbuya to overseas markets.
This encouraged the project members to secure additional agricultural land to expand their activities, and they approached the Red Cross Society and Tongaat Hulett for assistance.
The women were assisted with funding for land preparation, fencing of the two
hectare plot, as well as securing the services of a consultant to assist the project members with the actual planting of mealies and butternut.
One of the members of the co-operative, Thembile Jele, said this project allowed her to gain independence.
‘Through my participation in the project, I now have hope for the future.
‘The project has assisted me to improve the economic well-being of my family. Through the planting of imbuya, our names are known worldwide,’ she said.
Nkonzo Mhlongo, corporate affairs
executive at Tongaat Hulett, said, 'We recognise and salute the Obanjeni women for their role in teaching other women in their community how to fish.
'This will ensure all women touched by the project are be able to take care of their families for a lifetime.'