Zimele South Africa (Registered as Zimele - Developing Community Self Reliance)

As part of its effort to develop and operate programs appropriate and relevant to the rural communities of Kwazulu Nata, Zimele has staffed its South Africa organization with people native to or familiar with the surrounding communities.

Rosetta Heunis, Founder & Executive Director

Rosetta has over 10+ years of experience in social and economic development in South Africa in various roles which helped shaped her vision for Zimele.

From 2003 to 2006, Rosetta managed an outreach program at an orphanage in KwaZulu-Natal. Her primary responsibility was to oversee the launch and execution of the orphanage’s social development programs within the local communities including the distribution of food parcels, community vegetable gardens, and early education centres.

Between 1997 and 2003, Rosetta managed a youth development organisation for disadvantaged youth in South Africa. The focus of the program was to help young people to help themselves by teaching a mix of life, vocational, and business skills. 80% of the program participants went on to find long term employment.

Audrey Matimelo, Manager of Social Development

Audrey is a native of Zambia and recently completed her master’s degree in Social Development. She is the wife of a pastor and the mother of two, a 9 year old girl and a 2 year old boy.

Audrey developed a heart for community development at a young age. It took several years of persistence and hard work for her to achieve her dream of being able to connect her career to helping to change the lives of the ‘vulnerable’. But as the manager of social development with Zimele she is living her dream.

Daphne P. Zuma, Savings Group Program Coordinator

Daphne is a native of KwaZulu Natal, and is married and has one child. She was born the daughter of a pastor in Ntshogweni near Mpumalanga and started school in Mophela. As a result of poverty and political violence at the time, she had to drop out of school at the end of grade 10 and started working as a gardener until 1993 when she was offered a position at their local church office.

In 1997 she started working as a domestic worker, but she had a longing desire to achieve more in life. Daphne’s employer realized Daphne’s potential and approached Zimele for an employment opportunity for Daphne. An opportunity presented itself in June 2007 and she was hired into her current role as the self help / savings group program coordinator.

As Daphne says, “Now I have to opportunity to stand on my own two feet myself.”

Nondumiso Mzobe, Self Help Savings Group Community Facilitator

Nondu is 26 and lives in Swayimane with her family of 5 members including her mother, her brother and his two children of 5 and 2 years.

She completed school in 2002, but had no money for further education and started selling goods at pension payment centers. She also worked as a volunteer at Gcumisa Clinic in Swayimane and it was here that she met Mildred Mnyakeni who introduced her to Zimele.

When Nondu heard Zimele was looking for a savings group community facilitator, she knew she was the right candidate. Nondu, as we call her, has already formed 14 Self Help Groups and one Cluster Level Accociation (CLA)!

Nondu, who is Zulu speaking says: “I am so proud of myself, last month, August I formed a cluster (CLA). I am very happy and seeing myself to be going forward.”

Mavis Gwala, Self Help Savings Group Community Facilitator

Mavis is 34 years old, married and live with her extended family of 16 members in Swayimane. Both she and her husband have part time jobs. Mavis is also responsible for preparing meals for the entire family! Mavis completed grade 10 in a rural high school, and feels her role as a community facilitator with Zimele will give her the opportunity to develop herself. She eagerly awaits the formation of her first CLA.

Buyile Ndlovu and Bongekile Zuma, Self Help Savings Group Community Facilitators (Inchanga)

Buyile is 37 year old, married and has two children. Her family share a house with her brother in-law and his son. Both her husband and her brother in-law are unemployed. Her part time position as a community facilitator allows her to earn enough money to send her children to school. Buyi is now doing completing her grade 12 education through the Adult Education Program (ABET).

Bongekile is a Zulu, 30 years old and not married. She lives in Inchanga with her two children of 12 and 7 years, her mother, sister and brother. The three children of her sister also live with them. Because of poverty and crime she dropped out of school at an early age, but is currently completing doing her school education through ABET. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with Zimele as it builds her skills and knowledge through the workshops she attends. She hopes to eventually be able to use these skills to find better employment.

Betta Steyn, Crafts Program Coordinator

Betta is silversmith with over 10 years of professional experience in the product development of ethnic crafts. Prior to her role as the crafts program coordinator, she successfully implemented a similar program with the Khomani San bushman in the Kalahari.

Sindi Dlamini, Crafts Trainer (Volunteer and Community member)

Sindi is a 23 year old Zulu speaking native of South Africa. She lives in Inchanga with her mother, father, sister and brother. Sindi completed grade 12 and completed various craft courses subsequent to joining Zimele.

Community Facilitators of the SHG Program: The community facilitators are volunteers; and at no point will they be staff members. The idea is that they develop a good relationship with the members of the SHG program and be employed by the CLA when this community organisation reach the level of independence and our work is done.

Zimele USA

To minimize operational expenses, Zimele USA is currently fully staffed by a team of volunteers

• Ron Kwak, Executive Director
• Margaret Chan, Director
• Sung Choi, Director of IT
• Peter Kang, Director
• Sean Lee, Director

Zimele UK

• Rebecca Hands, Executive Diretor