Monarch women team up to fight poverty

PINI BOTHOKO
Correspondent | Thursday August 1, 2013 00:00

 

The women established Nkadzi Maboko Federation (NMF) on May 8, 2011 in response to the rampant poverty and unemployment situation that has bedeviled the township for a long time.Speaking with the society's collector, Kushatha Gungwa, she explained that the name of their federation,  'Nkadzi Maboko' is Kalanga meaning 'Mosadi Mabogo' in Setswana (A woman is strong with her hands).Gungwa said women should use her hands to feed their families.

'We were given this idea by our social worker back in 2010.  She said she visited Zimbabwe and Zambia and established that women in those countries formed societies to empower themselves and suggested we try it to empower ourselves,' she said.Gungwa said that it took them a year to consider forming the organisation and a group of 18 women came together to launch  'Nkadzi Maboko', which now boasts more than 60 members.'We started with contributions of P1 everyday.  After a year we met with other schemes from other locations in Francistown to benchmark.'We divide the money amongst members who then come with receipts to show what they have bought with the money,' she said.She said they later decided to contribute P7 every Monday and as time went by, they realised that it was small and decided to form sub-groups within the scheme making contributions that started from P100.

'We do not force a member to take all of the money she has contributed.  They can take a certain amount they want to use, leaving behind a balance with records showing how much has been taken and what is left,' she said.Gungwa said that they also support each other when there is a funeral or any occasion at another member's home by contributing money, kitchen utensils as presents and help with doing chores during the ceremonies.'When one of us has a funeral we support them by performing chores until the burial and by contributing money.  When one of the members is sick we also offer our support.  We visit them and support them emotionally, including cooking for them and offering prayers,' said Gungwa.Lechani Lemogang, a member of the society, said she joined the scheme last year and that her life has changed for the better.She said it is like she has another family that supports her in any situation.  She believes their lives have improved and they no longer depend on government welfare programmes.'Some people who joined the society had nothing at all, but they have since managed to acquire property and they are living a good life because of the society,'  said Lemogang.She said with the money they buy themselves household equipment, building materials, food and pay school fees for their children.  She said some of them have started building houses with money from the scheme.Monarch Kgosi Gunny Moses said he was impressed by the resident's  innovativeness.He said women in Monarch have formed various schemes to empower themselves and now lead a better life as they also guide each other on behavioural change.'It is a good initiative from women of Monarch. They are unemployed but have found something to do to feed their families, 'said a content Moses at the kgotla when Mmegi approached him.