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Sinomtha in Sawubona Magazine...read the full article here
Sinomtha Community Soap Project was initiated in 2008 with the help of Hillary Morris from Aurora Women’s Network in the Western Cape. After applying for funding from Greater Good South Africa (GGSA) through their Social Investment Exchange (SASIX) programme, a sufficient amount was received from PPC who agreed to support the project for a period of 3 years. The University of Helsinki also came on board with funding for one year.
The 10 women who own this business were chosen by the School Governing Body Members of the schools whom we support. They were selected based on their previous commitments and involvement in all school projects, together with the fact that all are impoverished and unemployed.
Training in soap-making techniques by Hillary Morris enabled the groups to produce hand made soaps of a high quality. Glycerine is used as the raw material, with a range of aromatherapy essences added.
The soap ladies have received grassroots training from the Calabash Trust in-house trainer on basic record keeping of daily, weekly and monthly soaps produced, stock taking etc., and also gained valuable grassroots training by Ena Richards from Siya Sebenza in Port Elizabeth, providing life skills like ethics, finance and budgeting, professionalism, excellence and worldviews.
The Summerstrand Hotel in Port Elizabeth was the first client of Sinomtha - and they continue to support this project still today by ordering soaps for their rooms on a monthly basis.
From this project the soap makers will be able to provide for their families and pay their children’s school fees, which would in turn warrant schools of excellence within their community. Furthermore, the families; most of whom live in shacks; will be able to upgrade their housing and improve their general quality of life.
The project has registering as a co-operative and is now its own legal entity with a constitution and new roles. As a result a local advertising and marketing company, with vouchers provided by SEDA designed new branding and packaging - please refer to the shop page for more information. We look forward to the new opportunities that will arise for Sinomtha Community Soap Project co-operative.
Sinomtha Community Soap Project was chosen as part of The Old Mutual Legends Programme, who is an award-winning national small business development programme designed and implemented by Fetola and funded by Old Mutual. Its purpose is to generate economic empowerment through the creation of thriving small businesses, thereby changing lives for the better, forever.
The 2010 Awards by The Legends recognise excellence amongst the 34 participant organizations and 800 Legends beneficiaries in the following categories:
Due Diligence - Most Responsible & Diligent Participant
Top Seller - Highest Sales for 2010
Rising Star - Greatest Increase in Sales for 2010
Team Spirit - Best Peer-to-Peer and Group Participation
Butterfly Award - Biggest Positive Change in Social and Community Field
The fantastic prizes have a total value of R25,000, and more importantly they both acknowledge outstanding performance and ensure that the Legends team continue to add value to client and beneficiary alike.
The more proactive the beneficiaries are in terms of reporting, utilising the business support resources and interacting with each other through the Legends peer network platform, the more impact the programme will have in addressing the huge targets for economic development in South Africa.
The winners of the inaugural Legends Business Development Programme Awards 2010 are:
Due Diligence Award 2010
Winner – Sinomtha Community Soap Project (Eastern Cape)
1st Runner Up – Skukuza Craft Alliance (Mpumalanga)
2nd Runner Up – Paper for Humankind (Gauteng)
Top Seller Award 2010
Winner - Hlanganani Arts & Crafts (Limpopo)
1st Runner Up – Mehloding Community Tourism Trust (Eastern Cape)
2nd Runner Up – The Heartfelt Project (Northwest Province)
Rising Star Award 2010
Winner – Amazizi Co - Operative (KZN)
1st Runner Up – Kruger Gate (Mpumalanga)
2nd Runner Up – The Heartfelt Project (Northwest Province)
Team Spirit Award 2010
Winner – Umcebo Trust (KZN)
1st Runner Up – Amazizi Co-operative (KZN)
2nd Runner Up – Badumi Beads (KZN)
Butterfly Award 2010
Winner – Iliwa Laphakade (Western Cape)
1st Runner Up – The Heartfelt Project (Northwest Province)
2nd Runner Up – Shwe Shwe Poppis (Gauteng)
