Lindiwe Nxumalo is a married mother of three children, a boy and two girls. Her husband is unemployed, and she was retrenched last year after 23 years’ service with a recycling company. She was forced her to look for any paying job to support her family. Given the economic climate in South Africa, and the high rate of unemployment, finding a job seemed unachievable. Lindiwe decided to start a micro-business and joined Phakamani Foundation in March 2023.
She met with a Phakamani Development Loan Officer and after gaining an understanding of the system she recruited members for her group. Her group went through training and was disbursed in March 2023. Lindiwe started on a loan of R2,000 with which she bought live chickens and chicken feed. She also started buying and selling new and second-hand clothing.
Despite the current tough economic conditions Lindiwe is enjoying running her own business and is able to put food on the table for her children and pay her grandchildren’s school fees. Phakamani encourages its clients to recycle profits through the business and to save what they can monthly. Lindiwe has learnt the importance of saving and has opened her own savings account.
Based on her experience, she is actively recruiting women in her community to join Phakamani Foundation and start a micro-business.
