Dr Audrey Mukwavi Matimelo

Dr Matimelo: Executive Director (Co-founder) of Zimele Wethu foundation.

Dr. Matimelo completed her PhD research on the Self Help Group Concept. Prior to that she worked as a professional banker for 10 years, and is currently part of the Pastoral Team at King’s Community Church in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. She has been working as a community development practitioner since 2005, and her work with the Self Help Group concept has enabled her to effectively mobilise and engage with groups of women, youth and men for social and economic development. She is a passionate advocate of the Self Help Group concept, and has travelled to India, Kenya and Zimbabwe to implement and grow the concept.

Dr. Chuma Banji Chinzila 

Dr Chinzila works as an Admin, and monitoring evaluation support officer in Zimele Wethu. She is responsible for administrating the office, managing systems and processes of accountability, and communication for both the office and the programmes. She has further taken up the responsibility of coordinating the Social Development Programme to support the Self Help Groups and Cluster Level Associations’ social care initiatives in communities for promotion of health and wellbeing.

Ms Dumazile Gretta Magwaza

Ms Magwaza’s leadership and communication skills enable her to facilitate training and encourage participation in the Zimele Wethu Self Help Groups, and she is an active agriculturalist in the Self Help Group programme in the community of Swayimane. Having become food secure through agriculture herself, she works to create food security in the rural communities as a part-time Coordinator of the Self Help Group Agriculture programme. She trains, facilitates and coordinates activities with farmers, monitoring basic food production and coordinating quality control and marketing.

Ms Albertina Tomato Zuma

Ms Zuma is a Coordinator - Self Help Group Phase 2 in Zimele Wethu. She is one of the Self Help Group programme participants in Swayimane community and this has granted her many opportunities to live a better and fulfilled life. In her early days in the SHG programme she learnt sewing skills and was able to earn money through her craft business to start farming seasonal crops for additional income. Ms Zuma developed leadership skills through the Self Help Group programme and serves as part of traditional leadership in her community. Through strengthening Cluster Level Associations (CLAs) that uplift woman, orphaned and vulnerable children, and the sick, Ms Zuma is now pursuing her calling to serve other people in the communities with Zimele Wethu, creating communities that are self- reliant and safe.

Ms Pemela Nene

Ms Nene joined Zimele Wethu as a Student Intern for the Business Development Programme. She is now a Coordinator - Self Help Group Phase 1 and manages the Community Facilitators in Zimele Wethu. Her experience of community development from her church social programmes, knowledge based on her academic successes and passion equips her to train Self Help Group Phase 1 Facilitators and supervise the formation of Self Help Groups in communities. Through monitoring and evaluating progress, she is able to develop and implement strategies in problem-solving and consolidation of practices. 

Ms Nene has continued pursuing her Master’s Degree in Marketing.

Ms Tendai Matimelo

Ms Matimelo works as a Coordinator for the Business Development Programme at Zimele Wethu. She first served as a Student Intern facilitating training and mentorship for Self Help Group small businesses. Her background of serving at her church community development programmes and academic qualifications in Business Studies has enabled her to build the skills and knowledge of the Self Help Groups’ and Cluster Level Associations’ business initiatives. Her work in the organization has encouraged economic growth and development of business initiatives in communities thereby, promoting self-reliance through reducing income poverty among people.

Ms Matimelo is currently completing a Dissertation for her Master’s Degree in Marketing.

Ms Nonhlanhla Ngcobo and Mr Sandile Ngcobo

Ms Nonhlanhla Ngcobo and Mr Sandile Ngcobo are Social Development Facilitators at Zimele Wethu. They are working alongside SHG/CLA orphan care projects to build lifeskills in children and young adults.

Nonhlanhla is currently studying towards a Diploma in Public Management. She also assists with data collection for monitoring and evaluation at Zimele Wethu. Nonhlanhla carries a success story of a child that has been cared for by the women in the SHG programme.

Sandile comes with a background of being an SHG member in Swayimani community. He was actively involved in Agriculture programmes. He serves as a lay Pastor in his local church. He has a passion for young people, both in his church and needy communities.

Reshma Yakub

Mrs Reshma Yakub provides bookkeeping services to Zimele Wethu.