Thuli Madonsela leads local upliftment project

POSITIVE change, bolstered by input at the highest level, is on the way for a local community plagued by lack of opportunities.

A meeting two weeks ago between the eManzimeleni Enterprising Communities, Thuma Foundation and Partners for Possibilities (PfP) has cemented plans to tackle challenges facing the affected area.

Traditional leaders, including Inkosi Thanda Mzimela and representatives from the eManzimeleni Principals’ Association met with members of the Thuma Foundation, including founder, professor Thuli Madonsela and CEO, advocate Xoli Maduna alongside Robyn Whittaker of Partners for Possibility, the NPO partners for this community initiative.

The community is seeking ways to address challenges such as security, health, skills development and job scarcity.

However, education is the first issue that will be addressed by the Thuma Foundation, an organisation which seeks to strengthen democracy through the empowerment of communities.

The tie with Partners for Possibility will see the implementation of a leadership development and principal support programme within a number of eManzimeleni schools whereby local business leaders and school principals are paired for a year.

The result of this process is the establishment of conscious leaders who collaborate for the benefit of their organisations and communities.

Following the community engagement session, the Zululand Observer hosted a ‘think tank’ at its offices, attended by representatives from all parties as well as the Businesswomen’s Association (BWA) Zululand chapter.

Drawing on the newspaper’s extensive community insight and understanding of local business, ideas were shared in an effort to find long-term solutions for the local community.

Commenting on the first leg of this project working with Partners for Possibility, Madonsela said: ‘We want communities to dream, and problem-solving is about visualising this dream.’

She expanded, explaining that achieving a holistic society relies on quality education, because ‘education is an enabler for sustainable well-being’.

Robyn Whittaker of PfP, said this is a ‘remarkable programme’ which aimed to create ‘thinking partners’: ‘The vision is to mobilise active citizenship and build social networks that address challenges.’

The BWA Zululand chapter endorsed the programme to be rolled out at various schools in eManzimeleni outside Empangeni.

‘As BWA Zululand, we have partnered with the Thuma Foundation to launch the unique leadership development drive at our upcoming Regional Achievers’ Awards in Empangeni on Friday, 4 October with Advocate Thuli Madonsela as our guest speaker,’ said BWA Zululand Chairperson Ronelle Ramsamy.

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