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MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The 60th Mama Afrika to be appointed since the start of Clover dairy company's social responsibility programme was in Mossel Bay last week and Mossel Bay Advertiser interviewed her about the wonderful opportunity to be a beneficiary of South Africa's most lauded and rewarded social responsibility programme.
Garden Route
Clover's 60th Mama Afrika, Nomsa Zimema, is from the Garden Route. Previously there was a Mama from Mossel Bay, but she has since passed away.
Clover Mama Afrikas are selected from all nine provinces of the country, but Zimema is the only one from the Garden Route currently.
There are 28 active Clover Mama Afrikas at present. Over the years some have left the programme and others have passed away.
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Stringent selection process
The Mamas go through a stringent selection process.
Zimema, from Thembalethu in George, was among eight women who were contenders for a place on the programme.
She said she was extremely excited about being a Mama Afrika.
She attended a sewing course organised by Clover, which was her first formal sewing training, although she has been sewing for many years.
Home sewing
Her husband and son help in her home sewing business.
Women hoping to be Mama Afrikas must be able to prove they are leaders, that they look after women, children or the elderly in their communities, and that they are respected, hardworking and resourceful.
Clover makes a tremendous investment in these women's lives, for example, helping them start up bakeries and vegetable gardens and helping to upgrade their childcare centres or expand their sewing or craft businesses, depending on the nature of their work.
Childcare centres
Women who have childcare centres bake bread and other goods to feed the children.
Clover has a supplier who assists in providing bakery machinery and who trains the Mamas.
Clover refurbishes rooms or business premises for the Mamas, depending on their needs. For someone with a home-based sewing business, this could include equipping a sewing room and providing sewing machines.
This is what Clover did for Zimema. Clover has received national and international awards for its proven excellent track record with its social responsibility programme.
Professor Elain Vlok at Clover, who initiated the programme and has led it for 24 years, has received a number of awards in her individual capacity as well.
Summit
Last week, the Mamas attended the programme's yearly summit, sponsored by one of Clover's suppliers, at the Diaz Hotel in Mossel Bay.
It is held in a different city each year. A total of 22 of the Mamas could attend. The rest were absent because of their business or family commitments, for example, one is a pig farmer and has a number of piglets which need special care at present.
As part of the summit, the Mamas attended workshops, completed SWOT analyses, discussed their goals and were motivated by Prof Vlok.
Lamp stand
They each decorated a lamp stand with a mosaic design. During loadshedding, a solar globe can be used in the lamp, so it is a useful item for anyone's home.
Also, the Mamas decorated bottles, which can be used for coffee, tea and sugar. The crafts the Mamas are taught in the programme include sewing, quilting, mosaic, baking and cooking, depending on their interests.
The aim is that the Mamas use these skills to create their own incomes and be self-employed, making items and selling them.
Some of the Mamas own takeaway or catering businesses.
Awards function
The summit was crowned with a sumptuous awards function held at the Diaz Hotel on Thursday, 28 March.
Each Mama had been given material to have a formal dress made for the function.
The top Mama Africa for the year was announced and received a cash cheque and there were awards and cash prizes for five ladies who will be Mama Africa ambassadors, as well as for best entrepreneur, most improved performance and best personality, among others.
Hard work
The awards function serves to reward the Mamas for their hard work and to treat them, motivating them to keep serving their communities with excellence and working hard towards their goals.
They were treated to live music by a saxophonist and a singer. They received sashes and gifts and had the chance to show off their outfits made specially for the occasion.
They enjoyed a delicious three-course supper. Prof Vlok gave a thorough outline on the work done by each Mama Afrika present. Some of the suppliers and contractors who provide services for the Mama Afrika programme also attended the event.
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