The Eastern Cape Department of Social Development will, on 15 October 2009, honour best performing women cooperatives at the East London Christian Centre, East London at 18h00. The award ceremony will be acknowledging the role of women in the development of the Eastern Cape through cooperatives funded by the department.
These cooperatives are mostly based in the rural areas and are aimed at improving the lives of the people in rural areas. “An amount of R20 million has been set aside for funding and development of 40 women cooperatives and R4,7 million to strengthen existing and previously funded women cooperatives in the province. An additional R5 million has been set aside for funding 10 projects in deep rural areas.”
Social Development MEC Nonkosi Mvana outlined in her policy speech. The Department of Social Development’s primary mandate is to render social services through development, care and protection of the poor and vulnerable members of the society. The award ceremony will focus on two categories; community development and social welfare services and it coincides with the International Day of Rural Development. Therefore, it is held at an appropriate time when the world recognises and honours the strides that rural women in our society make in fighting poverty.
A total of 1 033 households have directly benefited from women development projects through access to self-generated income opportunities.
For more information contact:
Gcobani Maswana
Cell: 082 281 7410
Issued by: Department of Social Development, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
13 October 2009
Source: Department of Social Development, Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.socdev.ecprov.gov.za/)
