In Zulu, zamakuhle means ‘we are trying to achieve the best’. This name signifies the hope that the savings group brings to the women, since many of the 10 women are grandmothers of orphaned grandchildren due to AIDS.

Many women are grandmothers of orphaned grandchildren due to AIDS

One woman in the group, took out a loan to buy a brick making machine so she could add a room to her home. She used this room to open up a ‘tuck’ shop or a small grocery store. Prior to this, she ran a ‘spaza’ or a small road side stand and was barely making ends meet. The new addition allowed to her work from home, sell a greater variety of products and provide food and education to her grandchildren.

One of the objectives of the savings groups is to develop a spirit of community trust and cooperation. As the women in Zamakuhle group met, they soon recognized a common need for fresh and inexpensive produce. They decided to start a group vegetable garden. Lacking access to a reliable source of water, they not only identified the nearby high school as the ideal location, but approached the school and obtain its permission to use its water for their garden.