South Africa (Pretoria): The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mme Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, in partnership with the MTN SA Foundation, will, on Wednesday, 17 August 2022, hand over a cheque to the value of R500 000, to Azowel Farming projects, KwaDukuza, in KwaZulu Natal.
Azowel Farming Projects was founded by Ms Welile Gumede, who was an unemployed single mother who used her daughter’s child support grant to establish the business.Â
The funds will bring much needed relief to Ms Gumede’s business bringing back the resilience she showcased when she initially started her business. @OfficialSASSA @HendriettaZ @nda_rsa
(11/16)#Handover
— Social Development (@The_DSD) August 16, 2022
Ms Gumede was one of the families and businesses who helplessly watched their properties being washed away by the disastrous floods earlier this year, which led to the South African Government declaring a state of national disaster on 18 April 2022.
Before the floods struck Azowel Projects, it had forty tunnels producing tomatoes and green peppers with an annual turnover of R1.6 million, employing 32 people.
During her visits and while providing some relief to families affected by the floods, Deputy Minister Bogopane-Zulu was told of the challenges that were a result of the crisis.
In response to these, Deputy Minister, in partnership with MTN SA Foundation, will be handing over a cheque to Azowel Project.
Annually in August, the country commemorates women’s month, paying tribute to the more than twenty thousand women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 to protest against the passed laws.
This year women’s month is commemorated under the theme: “Women’s Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment, building back better for women’s resilience.
True to MTN Foundation’s purpose in bringing about meaningful, measurable and sustainable change that helps disadvantaged and rural communities to become self-sufficient. The funds will bring much-needed relief to Ms Gumede’s business bringing back the resilience she showcased when she initially started her business.