Mama Afrika upskills, develops her community

FEZIWE Gambo, a community worker in Ezimbokodweni, just outside of Amanzimtoti, has been hard at work upskilling and developing those around her through baking, sewing and reading.

She is part of the Clover Mama Afrika project, which is a group of carefully selected women, referred to as Mama, who act as pillars of strength in their communities.

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Recently, she took it upon herself to upskill someone in her community and shared with her the joy of baking and being able to create in the kitchen. Recognising the importance of skills development, Feziwe took Sphindile Siqwayi under her wing, teaching her the art of baking.

“Being in the kitchen and baking can seem so overwhelming when it is new to you, however, once you get the hang of it, it is so much fun creating new dishes,” she said.

Meanwhile, Feziwe’s daughter, Abigail, has been diligently honing her sewing skills, preparing to impress in her next course.

Her recent Read Aloud Day initiative brought books to life for children, emphasising the joy of reading. “Reading and cultivating a love for reading is so important, and it can help you in many different areas in your life. I really want to instil the joy of reading in the youth at my centre as reading will help them one day when they are working professionals, too,” said Feziwe.

Her dedication to her childcare centre, House-Kids Educare Centre, reflects her commitment to providing a safe haven for children and caring for the elderly.

“Seeing so many young children who were left unattended touched me, and I started a childcare centre in 2010 to give children a safe shelter and the nurturing that they deserve. Today, I have 357 children between the ages of three months and seven years old at the centre, and I care for 30 elderly members, too,” said Feziwe.

As a pastor’s wife, Feziwe also takes on leadership roles in community organisations, furthering her impact on the community’s development. She is chairperson of the Umbumbulu ECD (early childhood development) Association with 55 members whom she manages (women, young and old) and is the secretary of the Umbumbulu NPO Forum with an additional 99 members under her care.

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