More and more, women are being recognised and appreciated as pioneers of change, and most developmental roles that focus on change and social upliftment are now headed by women. In this article we identify three extraordinary women who have committed their lives, and sacrificed greatly for the well – being of others. It is prudent to remember that in the not-too- distant past (and in many oppressive regimes still today), women were unequally and unfairly treated, and refused the right to education let alone to work. Thankfully in our own country that has changed, and women from across the spectrum are empowering themselves and becoming leaders in the corporate and political world. Pasty Pillay of New Beginnings, a community based not-for-profit Early Childhood Development (ECD) organisation, is such a woman.  Pasty’s organisation provides technical, professional and organisational skills development and knowledge-sharing in ECD. They assist practitioners and communities adversely affected by state planning, apartheid policies, and economic inequalities to deliver solid ECD programmes and help educate the next generation of South Africans.

Pasty started her career as a social worker for the Community Education Development Trust, where she began training mothers to stimulate their children at home. She was later appointed as manager and then trainer of teachers and caregivers in the area, until the organisation was forced to shut down due to lack of funding.

In 2010 Pasty was appointed as the South African representative for the World Forum on Early Care and Education. Today, her organisation is a leading provider of support services and training in the ECD space.

Pasty’s story and the impact of the work she does is similar to that of Kathy Schultz of CORA   (Caring for Orphans in Rural Areas), another extra ordinary woman with a passion for change.

Cora’s roots lie in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, where abject poverty and lack of opportunities for both adults and children prompted Kathy to start the organisation.

Although schools and other education facilities do exist, there are blatant gaps for children of pre-school age.

“These early years are critical for a child’s development as they are a time of rapid physical, emotional and mental growth.  For this reason, we believe in basic early intervention and address these needs by developing pre-school enrichment centres for early childhood development and learning,” explains Kathy.

CORA strives to take a holistic approach in supporting orphans and vulnerable children within their own communities.

This includes creating environmental awareness amongst children and communities – using alternative energy and gardening methods where possible, encouraging children to work in the centres’ food gardens and to understand the need for it, as well as encouraging a caring and respectful attitude towards each other, regardless of gender, from an early age; and developing a respectful relationship towards animals and nature.

In effect, CORA looks to fulfil the whole spectrum of children’s needs: education, nutrition, health, safety, life skills, community integration, as well as teacher/carer training.

The work Patsy and Kathy do certainly strengthens the argument that women are pioneers of positive change. Patricia White of Porcupine Ceramics, a ceramic manufacturer in   Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape, is another innovative and pioneering woman who is making an impact in her community, although in a slightly different way. When Patricia’s company started in 1994, its aim was to target tourists seeking handmade South Africa memorabilia. Because of the high demand for her products, the business grew rapidly and was making ample profit. However, a few years back the economic global crisis started affecting her lucrative export markets, and orders started dropping. This put Patricia’s business under strain, with the result that she could no longer afford to pay the large workforce and sustain the business.

A series of options were going through her mind at the time, to an extent where she considered shutting everything down. However being the determined and community-conscious woman that she is, Patricia could not bear to close the doors, as most of the workers she employed were dependent on her business to support their families. Instead, she helped her workers form a production cooperative, where they took control and ownership of all aspects of production and now work together with Patricia to manage quality, plan order schedules and manage their income.

“Working together with my staff helped the business get back on its feet, but also enabled me to truly empower my team and create a situation where they feel like they are building something for themselves for the future. While the economy is still volatile, this collaborative approach of working together, coupled with very valuable business support I receive from  Fetola’s Legends programme, has helped steady the ship and preserve the jobs of nearly 20 people,”, explains Patricia.

The case studies presented above are just a snapshot of how much women contribute to the wellbeing of South Africa and its people.  They are but a portion of the many untold stories of women who are raising South Africa to its potential. It’s high time we all started appreciating our women for who they are and the good work they are doing to make our country a better place.

About

Abram Molelemane is a journalism graduate from the Tshwane University of Technology. He has written for various publications such as Wealthwise magazine and Reckord newspaper. In 2011 he was nominated for the Reckord print journalist of the year award. He is currently employed as the media officer at Fetola www.fetola.co.za