#WomensMonth: Selfless Mkame recounts her developing journey
As Women's Month draws to an end, the Highway Mail was honoured to speak to a woman of substance, phenomenal Elizabeth Mkame. For years, she worked tirelessly for many communities. Through her selflessness, Mkame with a group of women, was able to uplift the communities through the many projects she initiated.
AT the age of 83, Elizabeth Mkame is at peace and fulfilled with what she has achieved and done for many impoverished communities.
The internationally recognised pillar was among a group of women who started the Zibambeleni Old Age Home, Muthande Society for the Aged and the St Clement Home Based Care among other things.
Mkame grew up in the Malvern area but spent most of her years in Clermont.
Now settled in Pinetown, Mkame said it was through the Young Women’s Christian Association that she found her purpose in life.
“Our association focussed on developing the mind, body and spirit. We were taught about leading a healthy life. Their aim was to mold the development of women,” said Mkame.
From self development, the association then instilled in them to also develop their communities.
The association was a worldwide organisation and together with women from the area of Clermont women they devised a plan to build an old age home.
The birth of Zibambeleni Old Age Home
“Everyone was surprised when the late Mrs Gcabashe suggested it, we did not think it was possible,” said Mkame.
At that time, factories were being built in New Germany and there were many tenants looking for places to rent.
The ladies felt that that grannies were being crowded.Zibambeleni Old Age Home in KwaDabeka was officially opened on 24 August, 1980.
“It’s probably one of the best project we did,” smiled Mkame.
She said it was not an easy journey and one of their biggest challenges was securing a welfare number to enable them to raise funds.
Mkame was undeterred and said: “We had to start another organisation which was called Zibambeleni Women’s Association.”
She added that the experience she gained while working as a secretary at a law firm helped in the community resource centres which they started.
“Working in the Diakonia Council of Churches we were encouraged to use churches to better the community.”
Mkame said churches were just used for wedding funerals and church services on Sundays so it was a perfect place to open these resource centre.
“Through the centres, people were assisted with official letter, interviewing skills, we helped Gogos apply for their pension money. People could not afford lawyers so we had to intervene so that they could get help.”
Mkame trained more than 26 young people to head other resource centres.
Give willingly and you shall be rewarded
“I always emphasised respect to the people I trained, if you are working with the community you need to be polite and treat people with respect,” she said.
The Muthande Society for the Aged runs programmes for grandmothers. Its aims is to improve their quality of life by addressing their health, economic, psychological and social needs.
The Gogos are also entertained through the organisation various singing and dancing competitions.
Next Mkame and the women she works with started St Clement?s Home-Based Care Project which she said was borne out of the need to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
“The home based care provides supportive services to families infected and affected with HIV and AIDS in Clermont and KwaDabeka areas.
“The home-based care, food, orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and skills development programmes are designed to assist vulnerable community members, by providing education, skills and support,” said Mkame.
Mkame with her team also moulded many young people including human rights activist, lecturer and executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. She added that her motto in life is ‘lift as you climb’, “we never did all those things for money, we never got paid.
Everything which was donated went to that organisation.”Through these organisation we started, job opportunities were opened, they acquired many skill and that fulfills me.”
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