A legacy with heart

A kitchen that will help feed hungry children, a community project that helps women produce handcrafted jewellery and support for a small sewing business. It's all part of the IDC's Women's Legacy Project.

Mbeksi Maziko and Lindi Toyi, champion of the 2008 IDC Women's Legacy Project.

It all started in 2006, when the IDC launched a project to build a kitchen at Emfundisweni Primary School in Alexandra in recognition of Women’s Day. The project became part of a tradition that has developed at the corporation, with a new project being launched each year. Executives at the IDC choose a woman employee annually to be the champion of a Corporate Social Investment Project of their choice. 

2006: A warm meal
For hundreds of school children in Alexandra, hunger pangs are a daily reality. A new kitchen at the Emfundisweni Primary school, built with funds raised by the IDC and its staff, ensures that children at the school enjoy at least one warm meal a day. 

The project entails the construction of a 76m² kitchen on the school's premises that enables it to qualify for a warm-meal feeding programme from the Gauteng Department of Education. This means the school is able to provide food to fill 900 hungry stomachs, many from child-headed families. 
The IDC has contributed ca R500 000 towards the construction of the kitchen, with IDC staff having contributed R75 000 out of their own pockets. 

 “We are overwhelmed by the generosity of IDC employees who have contributed both time and money to this good cause,” says champion of the Women’s Legacy Project 2006, Katinka Schumann, Divisional Executive, Services Sectors.

2007: A handcrafted solution
The Sakhokuhle Project in Emaqadini, a small village south of Durban, was chosen for the 2007 Women’s Legacy Project. The project, a co-operative owned by 13 women, makes and promotes handcrafted jewellery – from basic necklaces to high-end bracelets. 

The project’s champion, Zora Madikizela, head of the Healthcare and Education Strategic Business Unit, says the IDC initially provided infrastructural support to the project to assist the project to get access to mainstream markets, especially in Durban, which is difficult to access for this group of rural women. In addition, the IDC’s external learning and development SBU also provided basic business skills training to the women.

The co-operative gets most of its funding from products sold – with most orders coming from companies. The IDC, for example, bought jewellery for Secretaries’ Day in 2007 in support of the co-operative. Following its initial investment, the

IDC has committed to build a permanent structure that the women can work in as they currently work from a makeshift shelter which is damaged. “It’s been rewarding to see women able to empower themselves through the work they do at Sakhokuhle,” says Madikizela. 

2008: Creative business ideas
Lindi Toyi, head of the IDC’s Public Private Partnership SBU, was chosen as the champion of last year’s Women’s Legacy Project. She grew up in Mthatha, nestled between the green hills of the Eastern Cape. Toyi chose Mbeksi’s Creation Project as the recipient of 2008’s funding. The project employs five women who sew and bead products for tourists and local passers-by. These include beautiful Xhosa traditional wear for men and women, grass items like mats and wooden items like walking sticks.

Handcrafted jewellery made by the Sakhokuhle Project in Emaqadini.

The project is named after its founder, Mbeksi Maziko (48), who has trained women in the poverty-stricken area to earn their own livelihood. In the eight years since she started her business, she has trained 14 women, all who are now empowered to work for themselves by creating hand-crafted products.

The IDC spent the bulk of the R315 000 that has been allocated to the project on building two rondavels, a flushing toilet and secure, covered parking for two cars.

Mbeksi has also received support from the Department of Arts and Culture, who sponsored sewing machines, which she houses in a container next to the road. Mbeksi sells the goods at exhibitions she attends and at a temporary venue in her home.

Toyi says in the coming year the IDC wants to supply training to the women to improve product quality and to show them new ideas to enhance the current product range.

“It is wonderful to see how someone can create something from nothing,” says Toyi. “It’s been a steep learning curve on a personal, as well as professional level and we really appreciate the help we’ve received from our colleagues at the IDC.”