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My name is Mamokete Mkhehlane Mqedlane. I grew up in a small township called Tikwana in Hopestat.

In 2003 my life was very painful. I was torn apart between life and death, so I needed someone to talk to or something to keep me busy to give me peace of mind. Then that’s when I decided to open a theatre group in 2004, and I named it “Remogo traditional theatre”, which means we are together.

I started this theatre group with 44 members, and we had nothing, and there was a time when male leaders discriminated against me because I am a woman, but even though I proved them wrong and told myself that I will register with this group no matter what.

I wanted to show them that I can do it despite my gender. We had events like competitions, talent show festivals, etc. I struggled a lot with this group, but I did not give up until I give back to my community. Now I have a few members from my community that get some stipend so that they can be able to put food on their tables; even though the stipend is not that much, at least the poverty rate is decreasing by doing so because many members of this group are orphans and in this group, we live to share.

Early this year, I managed to buy school uniforms for a few learners, which are tracksuits for winter and school shoes through this group of Remogo and then in 2009, I was appointed as a groundbreaker at LoveLife, teaching children how to live a healthy lifestyle, to be body-wise, to take control of their life, to dream big, to have visions, to know what they want and where they are going, to make healthy informed choices, to be optimistic about future, how to build good self-esteem and to have values like Love, dignity, respect and responsibility.

That’s where I started being a mentor and a role model for many youth and parents in my community. In 2012, I worked again with children because children are where my love is.

I also worked as an art facilitator at the Department of sports, arts, culture and Recreation where I was teaching dance, drama poetry, etc., to the children in different schools. So, last year, I think last year around September, I devoted a significant amount of my time to the Tsireletso victim empowerment – a nonprofit organisation dedicated to empowering victims of substance abuse and bullying in our schools.

I am a God’s child with ambition and a born free generation. I have the power to decide, I am a woman who serves the community. Ke mosadi ke mmaSechaba.

My name is Idah November, and my friends affectionately call me Manana.

I am a 45-year-old resident of Hoopstad in Tikwana Township.

My grandparents raised me, and when they both passed away, I had no choice but to live with my biological mother, whose treatment of me was far from kind.

In 2003, my partner and I welcomed our first child into the world, and life seemed wonderful until our marriage in 2004. Sadly, that’s when the relationship took a turn for the worse.

It became evident that success and happiness don’t simply fall into your lap; you must actively seek them out.

There were times when asking him for anything felt like an uphill battle, and I went for days without even the most basic sanitary towels. It was during these challenging times that I realized I needed to take control of my life and well-being rather than depend on someone who treated me poorly.

To break free from the reliance on someone who regarded me as insignificant, I started selling small items as a vendor within my community and its surroundings. As days went by, my determination grew, motivating me to extend my hand to other women in the community. Despite their financial and marital struggles, I encouraged them to envision a brighter future and to pursue their paths towards self-sufficiency.

Eventually, we discovered a way to source clothing for resale from Gauteng, which yielded a modest profit. At one point, I even sold items like tripe and chickens, and later, I established a pap and braai (barbecue) shop in our town.

Throughout my positive and challenging experiences, my guiding principle has remained unwavering: to empower fellow women to transcend limitations. I firmly believed in the boundless strength that unity among women could nurture, enabling us to collectively overcome hardships and emerge stronger than ever.

In the year 2000, before I became a mother and married, a few women from the community and I established an organization called Reahula Community Catering Project Organization.

Initially, we had many members, but some secured jobs, leaving us with only seven members.

We officially registered the organization as a close cooperation and approached the Department of Social Development for funding. We acquired tents, chairs, tables, and other catering equipment with the funds.

Over time, unfortunately, some members passed away or found employment, leaving me as the sole remaining member. Determined to carry on, I invested in equipment and hired four gentlemen to set up tents for funerals, parties, and weddings.

Recently, I conceived the idea of establishing a disability daycare centre.

Seeking guidance, I returned to the Department of Social Development, where I received invaluable assistance on how to initiate the centre. Empowered with knowledge, I recruited three women to collaborate with me, and we registered the organization as Blessing’s Disability Daycare. The centre has been operational for a while now, and we are optimistic about the positive impact it will have on those in need.

The primary goal of our centre is to show children with disabilities that they are cherished and cared for, regardless of their conditions.

By interacting with others like them, they come to understand that they are not alone in their unique needs and gradually learn to embrace themselves. Furthermore, the centre supports parents who might otherwise be confined to their homes, caring for their disabled children and limiting their employment prospects. Our aim is to provide a safe and joyful environment where children can spend their days while their parents work, much like any other child who attends school.

As our organization is still in its early stages, I humbly seek any form of community or external donations to aid our work with disabled children.

Currently, some community members contribute cabbage and salt here and there, which helps us get by with basic necessities. Often, I find myself having to share groceries from my own home to ensure the children have enough to eat. Additionally, we are in search of volunteers who can guide us in providing effective care and resources for the children.

While we lack comprehensive training, we do our utmost to engage the children and meet their basic needs to the best of our ability.

Your support would greatly contribute to fulfilling the children’s aspirations, providing them with an environment conducive to growth and learning.

Thank you.