According to Clover Mama, saving is a skill we all need to master, no matter our background. If we want to minimise financial stress, then we ought to learn how to make our money do what we need it to.

This will ensure that we have reserves for when things go wrong and savings to improve a business or home environment.

Mama Sipiwe Solomons' journey

Mama Sipiwe Solomons joined the Clover Mama Afrika project in May 2009 and has since continued to build a community of responsibility at her centre, Hosanna Community Church and Projects. She provides a variety of services at her centre, including: 
  • education
  • counselling, and
  • home-based care.

How a Mama's saving lead to success

When Mama Sipiwe started her centre with her family, they were responding to the calling as local missionaries. According to the organisation, they had limited resources.

"We eventually found a piece of land which we bought and erected a tent as our base to work from. This became a drop-in centre where we fed orphans, conducted home-based care and held church services," says Mama Sipiwe. 

"We also started a food security programme where we would hand out consumables and clothes to the community of Shabalala, Nyongani, Goromani, Majika, Mahushu, Mariti and Oakley. It was during this time that our network started to grow and Clover Mama Afrika gave me the opportunity to become a part of their project," adds Mama Sipiwe.

Mama Sipiwe says that she realised that a second business may lead to greater success and better cash flow for savings purposes as well as the sustainability of her centre, which is why her guesthouse, Mihandzu Guesthouse, was established.

"Working with like-minded people is a key element to success and so is saving over time. We have had wonderful people and organisations supporting us over the years, which assisted us so tremendously," says Mama Sipiwe. 

"Organisations and programmes such as Epwp, Hospice Palliative Car, the US Embassy, Rotary Club, National Lottery, Bundu Pale, Matumi Fresh Produce, PicknPay Hazyview, Shakina Glory Farm, Shilo Coffee and JJ Prinsloo Farm, to name a few, have created wonderful support for our community and our success is definitely shared with them," adds Mama Sipiwe.

"Our Mama Afrikas work hard and saving is a key element to the success of their centres and businesses. We are so proud of how far Mama Sipiwe has come over the years and all the hard work, drive and passion she has put into achieving her goals," says Professor Elain Vlok, Clover manager of Clover Mama Afrika Trust.

"Clover Mama Afrika teaches our Mama Afrikas basic financial management in order to build their businesses and part of these skills is the ability to save and forward plan. Saving responsibly is a great factor to achieve your goals and Mama Sipiwe is a shining example of how her focus, drive and success in saving has led to great things," concludes Vlok. 

Clover Mama Afrika is a sustainable Corporate Social Investment project that has been in existence since 2001, seeing the project host 440 training sessions with over 2 313 beneficiaries over the years.

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