By Libuseng Nyaka
QWA QWA – The resilience of 15 women who used to depend on hand outs and social grants but later started a small-scale shoe factory in 2010 has paid off as they are now set to reach dizzy heights after receiving 16 sewing machines worth R600 000 from government and the National Development Agency NDA.
The timely donation was made as part of Social Development month activities. Connie Ramoana one of the pioneers of Ntswaki Molefe shoe factory said the donation had ended her group’s reliance on child social grants that fell far short of its basic needs as grants were meant to sustain children and not families.
“We started a small business as a group of five using hand sewing needles before we approached an expert from Europe to teach us how to make shoes using animal skin. We were able generate R5 000 which we shared after saving the profit for restocking. Later on we were joined by 11 people, “said Ramoana.
She said raising two children on her own and three grandchildren no longer presented a challenge to her owing to her membership of the income-generating project unlike in the past when she relied on a R280 child grant.
“We think demand for the leather products we make such as shoes and bags is going to increase and there is a possibility that we may have to employ more people from our area. The MEC and Minister for Social Development have promised that they will source markets for us,” Ramoana said.
Rutha Kitsi another worker at the factory said she did not believe her luck when she took home R1 000 and was able to buy groceries like her affluent and educated neighbours. Kitsi said she could only read and write and count money but she did not acquire a formal education.
“I have more reason to celebrate the launch of social development month because I see that development here at our factory with this donation of machines. We have been empowered,” Kitsi said.
Another project aimed at empowering the community of Qwa-Qwa was the establishment of an Early Childhood Education centre.
The MEC for Social Development Sis Ntombela said building of childhood school was going to generate employment for residents. They centre hire teachers, cleaners and gardeners.
In an interview with Public Eye Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini said greater hope and self-esteem had been restored to beneficiaries. He hoped that these projects would be sustained.
“The projects will sustain because they are the brain child of the community. They have identified their passions. We did not impose these projects on the community,” she said.
Dlamini said government had chosen to launch Social Development month in Qwa Qwa Free State because it is one of rural poor areas among those government is targeting.
“The campaign is anchored on the staunch belief that community development will never take off the ground unless there is intimate interaction between government and the people we serve.” Dlamini said.
The campaign aims to create greater public awareness of the Department’s programmes and services to tackle socio-economic challenges such as poverty, HIV and AIDS, social exclusion, child protection and substance abuse amongst others.”
The campaign also seeks to strengthen and mobilize communities, strengthen service delivery partnerships through promotion of constructive engagement between the department, its agencies as well as communities.
“During this month the Department will work with our rural communities, to listen and understand what their plight is but most importantly, to ensure that we unlock that which may serve as an obstacle in meeting their long declared need of emancipation, empowerment and self-sustenance,” Dhlamini said.