Self Help Groups

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We are currently implementing the Self Help Group concept with 4371 women, youth and men in 11 rural communities in Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa. The Self Help Group concept focuses on empowering poor people socially and economically in three phases.

Phase 1

  • Mobilisation into Self Help Groups (SHGs) of 1 - 20 members.

  • Receive training for social and economic development.

  • Meet weekly, save money and access loans from money saved in these small groups.

  • Individuals or groups start enterprises such as small retail shops, tourism baking, crop farming, poultry, small animal farming, food processing, construction or craft as livelihood strategies for households.

Phase 2

  • 8 - 12 SHGs in an area, (80 -120 participants) are mobilised into an informal association, a Cluster Level Association (CLA).

  • CLAs are trained to consolidate the economic enterprises started at Phase 1 (SHG) into formal businesses.

  • Through further training, the CLAs start social projects to address their community needs.

  • These projects include early childhood development centres, home based care for the sick and frail, orphaned and vulnerable child care, life skills for children and youth, burial societies, and computer schools for youth.

Phase 3  

  • 8 or more CLAs (1,200+ participants) are further mobilised into a Federation, which is a regional body of SHGs that leads the participation of poor people in wider social and economic activities concerning their development.

We have successfully implemented the Self Help Group Concept in the following communities:

  • Mzinyathi District – Msinga Municipality: Mkhupula and Nhlesi

  • EThekwini (Durban) Metro – EThekwini (Durban) Municipality: Ezimbokodweni and Tafelkop,

  • Mkhanayakude District – Matubatuba Municipality – Somkelo and Mfekaye,

      The Big 5 False Bay Local Municipality – Hluhluwe

  • UMgugundlovu District – uMshawthi Municipality: Swayimane

  • Msunduzi Municipality: Willowfountain and Imbali

  • Mkambathini Municipality:  Nkanyezini

Economic initiatives

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So far, Zimele Wethu has worked with 496 participants to implement economic initiatives in the following communities:

  • Willowfountain: grocery bulk purchasing, manufacturing of detergents fabric softener, baking, poultry, farming vegetables and seasonal crops.

  • Swayimane: craft work, traditional guest house, farming: poultry, vegetables, seasonal crops, and fruits. 

  • Mtubatuba: craft, tuckshop, poultry farming, sewing, goat farming, vegetable farming and decoration.

  • Msinga: poultry farming, craft, buying and selling.

  • eThekwini: block making, decoration and catering, grocery bulk purchasing, vegetable and poultry farming.

Social projects

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In addressing social issues in rural and township communities Zimele Wethu works with 166 participants to develop the communities socially through care projects as follows:

  • Willow fountain:  a day-care centre (crèche) to provide education and care for children in the community. This project also addresses the need to support teenage mums so that they can go back to school, and elderly guardians of orphaned children so that they can be relieved from the burden of caring for small children during the day.

  • Swayimane: orphaned and vulnerable child care projects, home based care and a youth academy for life skills and computer skills.

  • Msinga: home based care and orphaned and vulnerable child care. 

  • eThekwini: home based care and a computer school where young people get skills to become more employable.