Mama Sibeko ploughing back to her community

Mama Linda Sibeko is considered by the community a true woman of worth, faith and wonder. She is one of those seasoned community activists who are working tirelessly in contributing positively to the lives of those less fortunate. When she started Ikamvalethu Community Project [IPC] back in 2009 at the back of her house, it never crossed her mind it would be as it today.

With the help of her family, mama Linda sacrificed immensely to ensure the project fully functions, despite challenges of operating without any donation-in -kind or financial injection to keep it sealing. It started as a small soup feeding project for those who are needy and less fortunate run only on Mondays. With assistance from a Good Samaritan, Reverend Hans Steyn and his congregation, the project received grocery and clothing donations regularly. This inspired other key role-players such as Rian Du Bert and his wife to pledge towards this community uplifting initiative with weekly donations of bread and groceries. Based on the charitable footprint of the project in the community, she was later joined by a group of unemployed and devoted women who extended the project with more services (i.e. from sewing to craft production and early child development).

Overcoming poverty and unemployment is one of the greatest challenges ever faced this community. For this reason, mama Linda and her team decided to make food security, welfare, education and training as their major priorities at Ikamvalethu. To this end, ICP has evolved into "All-In-One" multi-facet organisation offering various empowerment programs to women, disabled, youth, and aged. "The project since establishment has achieved so many milestones and helped so many disadvantaged individuals as it does even to this day. “Our strategic plan is to utilise all the skills and abilities we have in-house in order to source out more funding opportunities to expand the project" she explains.

In 2013 just when Mama Linda and her team’s hopes were beginning to fade because of lack of funding and operational bigger space for their project, a guardian angel in the form of Lizo Paul appeared to assist. Just after his appointment as the new Centre Manager of Unobuntu Thusong Service Centre (UTSC), Paul never hesitated to accommodate ICP in its premises. "After years of pleading and begging for an operational space, this young man finally availed himself to assist with a kitchen space at the Centre” shares mama Linda. ICP utilizes the kitchen space for preparing and distributing cooked meals to its beneficiaries weekly. According to Mama Linda, the project now feeds close to hundred beneficiaries on weekly-basis on both Monday and Wednesdays.

The project currently generates its income from craft production and bead work created by some of the women involved in the project under the mentorship and guidance of Sange Thomas. Commenting about their focus to youth, she said; "Our aim is to provide access to skills training programmes and employment opportunities especially for youth in and out of school”. It also intends to recruit and train young people through skills programmes in order to equip them with enough skills to either work in various creative industries or start their own viable craft enterprises".

Although the project has received funding from a variety institutions including the BVM in previous years, Mama Linda revealed that lack of financial assistance and proper equipment still remain a huge challenge facing the organisation. She urged more community members especially those unemployed to join some of their programmes to get skills in sewing and craft production. Apart from being the project coordinator of ICP, she also serves on various bodies which includes the Hope & Reconciliation Commission. For more assistance or information on the project and its programs, please visit Mama Linda and the whole ICP team at the Unobuntu Thusong Service Centre.