Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers

by Keep The Dream196
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Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers

Project Report | Apr 26, 2023
More Exciting SHG News!

By Louise and the KTD196 Dream Team | Director

Olga at home, happy and smiling with her new life.
Olga at home, happy and smiling with her new life.

I know I have been focused on SHG for the past few GG reports however, it is worth getting excited about. Unbeknownst to me, while KTD196 was hosting the training for the Cluster Level Association or next level training for the SHG for representatives from around South Africa, the International representative and National representative where going out to the communities and assessing the viability of starting a Cluster Level group immediately. The result is, KTD196 now has a CLA, Cluster Level Association.

What is a Cluster Level Association? I can hear you ask!

A Cluster Level Association (CLA) is a platform for sharing of experiences of SHGs and to extend mutual support to improve the overall performance of SHGs. The CLA will create voice and space for the poor in the village and help initiate development interventions for poverty reduction.

 

There are Three sets of principles underlie the Cluster approach and are expected to be adhered to by all Clusters and Cluster partners:

  • Humanitarian principles;
  • Principles of partnership;
  • Accountability to affected populations.

Role :The role of CLA are as follows :

  • Act as a platform for sharing of experiences by SHGs members
  • Saturate the mobilization of Poor, Tribal and Extremely Poor & Vulnerable Groups (EPVGs) into SHGs which may have been missed by KTD196.
  • Facilitate capacity building of the SHG leaders & members, as the CLA grows the need for KTD196 involvement becomes less as the CLA takes over more functions.
  • Arrange for support services to SHGs and their members to ensure that all SHG practice the 3 principles of the Cluster Approach
  • Facilitate in preparation and appraisal of pro-poor inclusion plans andmicro-investment plans of member SHGs
  • Facilitate in preparation of pro-poor inclusions plans of local government, local wards, and sub district Development Plans, giving the poor a voice in their communities.
  • Facilitate in ensuring the entitlements, basic amenities reach the needy in the village

So, this is particularly exciting as it dovetails with the work we are doing with the children for the next 5years on Child Participation and giving children a voice in their homes, schools and communities at the same time. Empowering people to have a voice especially those who are disenfranchised like the poor and children, one will be able to support the other and vice-a-versa. It’s a huge undertaking but with the ladies on board, success is much more likely.

Currently, we have 760 families represented within the SHG process plus over 1,300 children. As an organization, that is huge.

I am sure you will agree that this is an amazing opportunity for the poor of Greater Tzaneen. It all started because of your support of a dream we had for the futures of the children we serve and now the mothers we serve. You believed in our dream, we are fulfilling that dream, through your support. I hope you can hear the excitement.

There is a lot of hard work to be done, I have worked previously with people who have been basically disregarded, disenfranchised, discarded and made vulnerable, overcoming those mind sets is huge but possible. THANK YOU For being a part of the journey and for making such amazing changes in our communities and the lives of the children for ever.

Blessings

Louise

 

My name is Olga, I live in Myakayaka village. I am originally from Mozambique, I came to South Africa to seek greener pastures. I have 4 children and they were all born in South Africa. We all don’t have legal documents to be in South Africa so my children are not receiving the Child Support Grant or any form of support. In the community my children and I were called names because of our nationality and background.

 I joined the Ahi ti pfuxeni (meaning let’s wake up and start working) SHG last year in July. Initially when I joined SHG I couldn’t understand what the group was all about and how it worked. I just knew that we will be saving money and we are not going to get the money back at the end of the year. I joined the group because my neighbour who was in a similar living condition as me and from Mozambique had joined. I am a very quiet person and prefer internalizing my problems because I have been judged enough in the community. In 2022 I have seen a huge change in me, through the group I am now an interactive person. I am able to speak out about my problems without the fear of being judged.

Even in my household I am a present mother in my children’s lives because of all the advice and discussions we have had in the group. I can communicate, laugh and play with the children and make sure that we are all happy. In the beginning I was always stressed about the challenges that we were faced with daily and had no one to talk to but now I have a group of sisters whom I can talk too.

I have seen and witnessed the impact that being part of SHG has had in my life. All thanks to Ahi ti pfuxeni SHG I am an independent woman who has a lot of self-confidence. I am able to laugh with other people and I am looking very beautiful now. I have also started a small business, I sell 2 litre cool drinks, fried fish and fat cakes in our community.

 

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Organization Information

Keep The Dream196

Location: Modjadjiskloof, Limpopo - South Africa
Website:
Project Leader:
Louise Batty
Tzaneen , Limpopo South Africa
$30,539 raised of $150,000 goal
 
363 donations
$119,461 to go
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