Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal | 22 April 2026. Women in rural KwaZulu-Natal are building sustainable livelihoods, supporting their families, and reshaping their communities through self-help groups, according to a new book launched today by the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.
Ukonga Among Women in Rural Spaces captures the real-life impact of community-led initiatives in Eshowe, where women have created income streams through poultry farming, vegetable cultivation, and small businesses, reducing dependency on state support and strengthening local economies.
Developed in partnership with the University of Zululand, the publication combines academic research with lived experience, offering rare, evidence-based insight into how grassroots development can drive long-term change. The project forms part of the Fund’s Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, rooted in Nelson Mandela’s vision of dignity, self-reliance, and collective action.
Women as drivers of local economies
Ukonga Among Women in Rural Spaces tells the story of how women’s self-help groups in Eshowe, within the uMlalazi Local Municipality, have become powerful agents of transformation, driving financial independence, strengthening families, and building resilient communities.
Through partnerships with community facilitators, including the KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council, these groups have:
- Established small-scale farming operations, including poultry and vegetable production;
- Created consistent household incomes;
- Improved access to education and healthcare for their families; and
- Built stronger community support networks.
In many cases, women who previously had no stable income are now contributing directly to household finances, paying school fees, and investing in their futures.
“These groups are proving that when women are given the tools and support to succeed, the impact extends far beyond the individual. It strengthens entire communities,” said Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.
From lived experience to evidence-based insight
What sets Ukonga Among Women in Rural Spaces apart is its combination of personal storytelling and rigorous research.
Led by the University of Zululand, the study documents both the lived experiences of participants and the measurable socioeconomic impact of the programme. The result is a practical, evidence-based model for community-led development, which can inform policy, guide implementation, and be replicated in similar contexts across South Africa and beyond.
A representative, Dr Sma Cele from the University of Zululand, said: “This work bridges the gap between research and reality. It shows how local knowledge and lived experience can inform scalable, evidence-based solutions that respond directly to community needs.”
At the heart of the book are the voices of the women themselves.
Members of the self-help groups describe how collective action enabled them to move from financial insecurity to stability, starting with limited resources, but building sustainable solutions through shared effort and knowledge.
“This book tells the story of how we came together and supported one another,” said a member of one of the self-help groups, Mma Winile Dlunge. “We started small, but today we are able to provide for our families and create opportunities for our children. It shows what is possible when women work together.”
A call to action for development stakeholders
Beyond its storytelling, the book offers a clear message to policymakers, development practitioners, and partners: community-led solutions work, and they can be scaled.
By combining grassroots participation with structured support and research, the model demonstrated in Eshowe offers a viable pathway for addressing poverty, inequality, and limited access to opportunity in rural areas.
As the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund continues its work, Ukonga Among Women in Rural Spaces stands as both proof of impact and a call to deepen investment in women-led, community-driven development.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Dlalisile Mthethwa
Marketing & Comms Specialist, Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund
Email: dlalisilem@nmcf.co.za
Office: +27 (0) 11 274 5600
Web: www.nelsonmandelachildrensfund.com
About the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund
The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund) is a development and advocacy agency
founded by former president Nelson Mandela in 1995. In line with its vision to change the Way Society Treats its Children and youth, the Fund’s mission is to give voice and dignity to the African child by building a rights-based movement. The organisation’s strategic focus areas include child health, which is addressed by Child Safety and Protection, Child Survival, Development and Thriving, Sustainable Livelihoods, Youth Leadership, and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Parktown, Johannesburg.
