TZANEEN: A recipe for spreading love with local jam

A group of ladies are setting out to change the narrative of their lives and of those around them.

Brought together by merely seeking employment, Glenda Manthibe, Glancy Stoltz, Calfonia Maake and Patricia Nghamuni nurtured their working relationship and started a beautiful journey together making jam and other preserves.

The ladies, along with their jams, chutneys, pickled delights and other mouthwatering preserves identify themselves as ‘Basadi Mix’.

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With the help of Claudia Pienaar and Uconomy, these ladies have been able to work on their passion and see it grow for them.

Uconomy aims to address the need for small and growing businesses that are potentially sustainable and successful enough to create jobs.

Working within their ecosystem of network partners, they offer a strategic solution that supports the establishment and development of SMMEs.

“We got together because of work. After that we thought of starting something for ourselves that would benefit us in the long run and that’s when we thought of making our own jam. Claudia helped us with meaurements and other things to a point that even when she is not around, we know how to get the work done,” stated Glenda Manthibe.

With their project being a recent baby of theirs, the ladies have had the pleasure of showcasing their products to the public during the Letaba Show which took place earlier this month.

Basadi Mix works closely with a local organic aquaponic farm which supplies them with many of the ingredients that the ladies use to make their preserves.

Not only do the ladies specialise in making their delicacies, but they also have skills in identifying and mixing plants, they are able to tell which type of plants work best for certain purposes and they also help grow some of the plants on the farm.

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They are driven by the goal and aim of changing the narative of their lives and the people in their communities by creating a platform that helps women who may be struggling to find jobs.

“Our motto is that in order to get something done the right way, we have to work together in harmony and love. That way, we understand what needs to be done and have everyone engaging in getting the job done. Because we have a passion for what we are doing, we don’t hesitate with anything and we don’t wait for someone else to do something while we know we can do it too,” exclaimed Manthibe with agreement from the rest of the ladies.

They make roughly 40 bottles at an estimated time of two hours a day.

With the reception and feedback they got from their Letaba Show showcasing, plus having won the ‘Best Stall’ title in Hall B, the ladies are adamant on seeing their business not only growing but making a difference too.

“As women, we want to show that it is perfectly fine to start from scratch and learn new skills. Plus this also serves as a way for us to create jobs for people who are interested in learning something new,” stated Manthibe.

For more information contact Claudia on 083-602-3017.