The skills taught include basic cooking skills as well as advanced courses and more specialised courses such as cake baking and cake decorating, as well as flower arranging and various forms of art like mosaic art. (Image: Clover Mama Afrika, via Facebook)
Women are often the ties that bind communities together, and are usually the people who care for those in need. This is particularly true for women living in underprivileged communities where banding together and supporting each other is often crucial to survival.
The Clover Mama Afrika project identifies such women around the country and then supports them to become self-sustaining by providing and further developing their skills so that they can generate an income. This income helps them to support their communities and care for orphaned and abused children as well as the sick and elderly.
Professor Elain Vlok, Clover’s manager of corporate services, is responsible for driving the Clover Mama Afrika initiative. Her passion, dedication and insight have led to the success of the initiative. Vlok believes that the programme’s on-going success is built on a generosity of spirit that is the very essence of ubuntu or “human kindness”.
Established in 2004, the award-winning Clover Mama Afrika initiative has strived to restore some of the qualities of African tradition into modern life.
“The wonder of this project is that we get people away from begging,” Vlok explains. “We help them to become sustainable. They can now bake their own fresh loaves of bread to feed their own people before they start selling the bread.”
Apart from basic baking, the organisation also offers the women the opportunity to learn other skills through partnerships with groups such as Pick n Pay’s Good Food Studios, Chipkins and Food Creations.
These skills include basic cooking skills as well as advanced courses and more specialised courses such as cake baking and cake decorating, as well as flower arranging and various forms of art.
GET INVOLVED
If you want to get involved in the activities of Clover Mama Afrika, visit its website for more details on how you can play a part in the ongoing growth and development of South Africa’s women and communities.
If you’re interested in donating to the cause, look at the organisation’s wish list to get an idea of what resources it needs most. These include donations of money as well as nappies, toiletries and non-perishable foods.
Through the initiative, individuals who think they fit the bill are able to become a Mama; if you are interested, email Clover Mama Afrika at info@clovermamaafrika.com or call the group on 011 471 1431.
PLAY YOUR PART
Are you playing your part to help improve the lives of the people around you or the environment? Do you know of anyone who has gone out of their way to help improve South Africa and its people?
If so, submit your story or video to our website and let us know what you are doing to improve the country for all.
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