We have been in and out of South Africa since May 1 when we landed in Johannesburg. As both Swaziland and Lesotho are inside the border of South Africa so we have been traveling in South Africa, and we stayed in Nelspruit and Durban, South African cities, for our last two debriefs. It is nice to finally be doing ministry in this nation I have longed to visit for so many years.
This month we are partnering with Zimele, an organization working to empower women in rural communities. Zimele is based in Pietermaritzburg and works in five of the eleven districts of Kwazulu Natal (though they have established groups in all eleven districts). Zimele’s goal is facilitate personal growth, financial responsibility, and community development through small local groups.
The foundation of the Zimele model is the savings group. A minimum of ten women (men are welcome but the majority are women) form a savings group which is guided by a mentor, either a staff member of Zimele or a women who has been in a savings group for several years. The group establishes their own constitution and rules for how much the group will save each week and when and where they will meet and how the group’s savings will be loaned out. Each week the ladies open the meeting with a praise song and then begin their saving. At first, weekly savings are usually R2 per person and over time that number increases. We attended a savings group that has been meeting for two years and is saving R5; however, we have heard of savings groups that were formed in 2008 and are now saving R35 per person per week. The savings are pooled as a group and individuals from that group can borrow from the group at 10% interest. Each loan must be paid back in full in the month it was borrowed so as not to become a burden. When savings and loans are completed the group discusses their module. Finally, the meeting is closed with another praise song.
Zimele has developed a six module curriculum for the savings groups to work through. They work through the modules in their own time and generally it takes two years to complete. The modules are as follows:
Module 1: Explains the Zimele system and teaches women to start saving
Module 2: Learning about loans and growing the groups savings
Module 3: Action Plans – setting short and long term goals
Module 4: Communication – women learn to communicate with community leaders, schools, and stake holders as a group
Module 5: Conflict Resolution
Module 6: How to start a business and Marketing
After a group has completed all six modules, they can move into a cluster. A cluster is several savings groups working together to form business opportunities and to further improve the community. At the cluster level opportunities open for individual women as Zimele helps them find markets or trainings. We have met women who started bakeries, have craft businesses, or run preschools. The clusters also do home visits to help families with orphans or at risk children.
Zimele’s model puts all of the responsibility in the hands of the community. They give nothing away.
Each of our teams are living in homes in our communities and joining in the work that our Mamas are doing. I am living in Swayimane in a home with Heather, Beth, and Hakyeong. Our Mama is on the board of a preschool but it is now school vacation. Our days are spent building relationships with the community through home visits or playing sports with the youth. We also have a lot of down time to sit with God. We each are using this first half of the month to recharge and rest. Tomorrow we will be moving to another home. The Mama there is a mentor to new savings groups so we think our days will be busier.
Swayimane is beautiful! The homes are surrounded by lush green sugar cane fields. I have gotten to eat sugar cane for the first time! It is so good. Please continue to pray for health and protection from the enemy. I am praising God for this time of rest.
