THE Umhlanga Women Achievers celebrates 28 years in existence this August.
Looking back on how the organisation has grown, President Robyn Meloni said it has remained true to its slogan – ‘To grow together through networking, sharing and enthusiasm’ – which was adopted in 1995.
“Helene Griffiths, a founding member, came up with the slogan, and it has stuck. The Umhlanga Women Achievers is not a business forum. It’s a networking organisation for women who want to expand their database, learn, grow and socialise,” said Meloni.
READ ALSO: High-speed crash leaves one dead in uMhlanga
In 1993, Griffiths (the owner and editor of a community newspaper, the Umhlanga Globe) was approached by Jean Ingle (then Borough of Umhlanga’s mayoress) to form some sort of association for Umhlanga businesswomen, where ideas and success stories could be shared.
“A year later, 19 women met at a coffee shop, and the Umhlanga Women Achievers was born. Today, we have approximately 100 members from the Umhlanga, Durban and surrounding areas,,” she added.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisation was not able to meet regularly, but that has now changed.
They’re also starting up their fundraising activities once again – and monthly sponsorships to various charities in the city – but that’s not to say that the organisation did not lend a helping hand at all during the pandemic.
“In May 2021, we challenged members to make and donate 1 000 beanies, baby jerseys and blankets in a month. The final count was 1 161 items. These were donated to the Open Door Crisis Centre, which subsequently distributed these items to needy homes,” said Meloni.
“During the riots and looting in 2021, more than 2 000 food parcels were collected and personally delivered to these to destitute families,” she added.
Meloni said she was very excited to resume monthly meetings to enable members to reconnect and engage with one another ‘in person’.
“I relish the opportunity to lead and work with the 2022 committee, to realign and reactivate our UWA journey, to grow through networking, sharing and enthusiasm,” she said.
Her message this Women’s Month is:
“Women’s Month is an opportunity to celebrate ourselves and each other. It is a time to acknowledge our worth, be proud of our achievements in the workplace and our resilience and strength to overcome and overturn life’s many challenges and stand tall with our heads held high. My message and intention going forward is to change the pattern from only celebrating women one month of the year and to encourage more regular, meaningful moments of upliftment and support for each other, which I believe will go a long way towards more growth and our worth as individuals.”
For more information about the UWA, visit www.umhlangawomenachievers.co.za or contact Meloni on 060 801 0251.
