Upskilling is a useful and necessary function of growth and development, and at a grassroots level, it provides so much more than individual progression.
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 431 training sessions with over 2271 beneficiaries over the years, the benefits of upskilling can be clearly seen.
Upskilling remains vital to ensure growth in communities:
- It allows for job creation by learning new skills
- It allows for improvement of the skills already at hand
- It provides affordable and accessible services within communities
- It ensures you stay valuable
- It opens you up to various opportunities
- It allows you to meet inspiring people, and inspire others through what you do
“Our Clover Mama Afrikas are really wonderful, hard-working, kind, caring and determined individuals and the work that they put into their communities is really amazing. The members of their communities are so fortunate to have the mamas providing them with new skills and ensuring positive growth in the communities,” explained Prof Elain Vlok, Clover Manager of the Clover Mama Afrika Trust.
Prof Vlok visited Mama Phumla Goje’s bakery to evaluate their progress since she had her intensive bread baking beginners training during the first part of this year. On arrival at the bakery, Mama Phumla and fellow members welcomed Prof Vlok with singing and excitement. High profile visitors on the guest list that day included ANC Women’s League Members as well as a member from the Health Department.
“I was so overwhelmed at the warm welcome and it meant so much to me! Mama Phumla even organised the local television broadcasting company to attend the morning who interviewed us. She also invited local high-profile people to her centre and I was really impressed with her great community connections. I am very proud to see how she has worked and upgraded her bakery with a cement stoep and wall since joining Clover Mama Afrika,” said Vlok.
Clover Mama Afrika continues to strive to upskill mamas in their communities, allowing them to share those skills with others living in their communities.
