Celebrating rural women on International Day of Rural Women

RURAL women play a central role in supporting their households by generating income, ensuring there is food on the table for their families and improving the overall well-being of their communities.

They create and contribute to agriculture and rural enterprises, and participate in a wide range of grassroots activities.

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One of them is Phumzile Ntuli of Izindophi Reserve under the Mpungose Tribal Council.

She is one of the many rural women being celebrated today (15 October) on International Day of Rural Women.

She is committed to extending the benefits of development to all the people in her community.

Phumzile grew up in Izindophi, one of the sugarcane growing communities that works in partnership with Tongaat Hulett.

‘Izindophi, like many rural communities, has always been negatively affected by high levels of unemployment, poverty, alcohol and drug abuse.

‘I felt compelled to do something to change the circumstances of my community,’ she said.

In 2005, she founded Qalekhaya Primary Cooperative with four other community members, to create employment for the youth and women in and around Izindophi.

‘Most of the women in rural communities were involved in raising chickens and I felt something different was needed.

‘We also saw and heard through media that learning in certain schools was impacted by a lack of school infrastructure. This is how the idea of establishing a cooperative to manufacture school furniture was born,’ she said.

Growth path
Her cooperative manufactures school furniture for the majority of schools throughout KwaZulu-Natal. It now has 13 permanent and seven temporary employees.

‘Most of the employees are local youth now able to support themselves and their families. The cooperative continues to grow and is generating R1.5-million in revenue annually. ‘As a cooperative we noticed that the business of providing school furniture was seasonal, but the demand for food was constant.

‘This was how the idea of a food garden initiative was born, enabling food-insecure households to grow food and feed themselves,’ said Ntuli.

The project doesn’t only feed vulnerable households, but it is selling its produce to businesses in and around eShowe including the local Spar. She said the lockdown period also gave them a boost, as the demand for food was high and most family members were at home.

‘Local businesses and communities wanted our produce and we had to ensure that we opened more areas to plant various crops.’

The cooperative still struggles to access infrastructure. Owing to lack of agricultural equipment, the cooperative spends a lot of its financial resources hiring tractors from local farmers.

‘Going forward, we would like to have our own tractor so we can plant more areas and generate bigger income through assisting local farmers in the area.’

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