The organisation says that with South Africa having commemorated Women's Day on Monday, 9 August, Clover Mama Afrika team also took the day to celebrate each other and the women in their lives.

Clover Mama Afrika is Clover's corporate sustainability initiative, which is a community-led approach aimed at reducing poverty in neighbourhoods by empowering women and those around them. The goal is to empower the generation that comes after them.

With the project running successfully since 2004 and hosting 440 training sessions (with over 2 313 beneficiaries over the years), the benefits of upskilling can be clearly seen, adds the organisation.

Mama Selestien Moses from Ashbury in the Western Cape hosted a Women's Day event for 50 women in her community. Focusing on the theme of hope, which is fitting given the world we are living in now, she worked together with the police, various volunteers and youth to bring the day about.

"We had a lucky draw selecting 10 women to have manicures and others had pedicures. We also had two guest speakers who gave motivational speeches (myself included) and it was a great day to spend together with everyone and just share a little light, love, motivation and joy with one another," says Moses.

"I also spoilt everyone with some delicious homemade curry with rice and pumpkin," adds Moses.

"Our Clover Mama Afrikas really are selfless, hard-working and caring women; they always go above and beyond for those in their community. The value that these Clover Mama Afrikas bring to the people in their communities is really amazing," says Prof Elain Vlok, Clover manager of the Clover Mama Afrika Trust.

"They work early mornings and late nights and make so much effort to continue to upskill themselves and upgrade their care centres and baking centres so that they can in turn be the best for their communities and those they look after," concludes Vlok. 

For more information, visit www.clovermamaafrika.com. You can also follow Clover Mama Afrika on Facebook or on Twitter