Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

By providing skills training and a physical market run by rural women, the women of KwaZulu-Natal will open many doors to further empowerment and access to their rights. They will finally become successful citizens of the New South Africa.

Project Message

One member of Hlomelikusasa ran for and won a seat for her regional council: “I don’t speak for only one person now. I learned to speak for many, many people.”
- Virgina Zwane, Member of Executive Committee

Who is Running This Project

Contact

Sarah Dotlich,
IDEX Africa Program Director
IDEX
827 Valencia Street, Suite 101
San Francisco, CA 94110
United States
415-824-8384
Email:

Project Sponsor

International Development Exchange (IDEX)

Organization

Learn more about Hlomelikusasa Rural Women Development Network and the project team.

Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in South Africa and can also be found under Economic Development.

For more information about South Africa, read the Human Development Report on South Africa or the Wikipedia entry for South Africa.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on June 04, 2008.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on August 16, 2007.

Latest Update from the Field

June 2008 Update

By Katherine Zavala - Coordinator of Programs, IDEX, June 04, 2008 09:53 PM

Story of Ms. B. Ngule, Hlomelikusasa’s Executive Member

Hlomelikusasa provides training in capacity building, which includes finding local resources to support community members’ projects. In addition, Hlomelikusasa offers training in skills development such as basic business and accounting skills to ensure a successful outcome for its trainees. Hlomelikusasa interviewed one of their trainees, Ms. Ngule, who spoke about their positive experience with Hlomelikusasa’s trainings. Due to her extensive experience with Hlomelikusasa, she was voted to become one of 5 women to represent her community in Hlomelikusasa’s executive committee.

This success story, told by Ms. B. Ngule, demonstrates how Hlomelikusasa supported her with training so she can start her own project: running drop-in centers.

“The first time I heard about Hlomelikusasa was during a meeting with Philippina Mabuntana (former Chairperson) in Mount Frere. She asked me how I was coping with my training programs. (Ms. Ngule trains local community members in HIV prevention) I told her I was still training people but I was struggling to get financial support from donors. She invited me to a Hlomelikusasa meeting where I was amazed to meet strong and confident rural women. They shared with me their progress and challenges they are facing in their projects.

Hlomelikusasa then announced that an external facilitator would facilitate a proposal-writing training. I became interested to join the organization and so, I attended the training. The information I got from the training was helpful, and as a result I applied to some funding organizations. Fortunately I received funding that would support HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in my community. We got funding to open two drop-in centers. The project is currently running and children are able to go schools with their new uniforms. When they come after school they pass by the drop-in centers for meals. Now, once a month they are receiving food parcels to take to their homes.”

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