This month South Africans across the country commemorated Women’s Day on 9 August, celebrating all women, young and old. Some of the Clover Mama Afrika’s took this day to celebrate each other and the women in their lives too.
Clover Mama Afrika, Clover’s corporate sustainability initiative, is a community-led approach aimed at reducing poverty in neighbourhoods by empowering women and those around them to empower the generation that comes after them. And with the project running successfully since 2004 and hosting 440 training sessions with over 2313 beneficiaries over the years, the benefits of upskilling can be clearly seen.
After the unrest that was endured during July, August was approached by Clover Mama Afrikas with determination to celebrate other women in their communities and to add value and love to those they interact with on a daily basis.
Mama Selestien Moses from Ashbury in the Western Cape hosted a Women’s Day event for 50 women in her community. Focusing on the theme of hope, which is fitting given the world we are living in now, she worked together with the police, various volunteers and youth to bring the day about. “We had a lucky draw selecting 10 women to have manicures and others had pedicures. We also had two guest speakers who gave motivational speeches, myself included and it was a great day to spend together with everyone and just share a little light, love, motivation and joy with one another. I also spoilt everyone with some delicious homemade curry with rice and pumpkin,” explained Mama Selestien.
“Our Clover Mama Afrika’s really are selfless, hard-working, caring women, and they always go above and beyond for those in their community. The value that these Clover Mama Afrika’s bring to the people in their communities is really amazing. They work early mornings and late nights and make so much effort to continue to upskill themselves and upgrade their care centres and baking centres so that they can in turn be the best for their communities and those they look after,” says Prof Elain Vlok, Clover Manager, Clover Mama Afrika Trust.
