When Nondumiso Mpitimpiti quit her management job at Telkom, she had a clear agenda: to help as many children in her community as she could through her own organisation, Step Ahead.
The Clover Mama Afrika project has recognised Mpitimpiti for her efforts in eradicating poverty and ensuring that the children in her community were well taken care off.
“It is truly motivating to be able to contribute to my local community and helping them put food on their tables.
“I am also seeing less crime because they are kept busy by these projects. Encouraging community responsibility and seeing the change is also a great motivation. I am committed to end poverty and promote healthy lives and well-being for all ages,” Mpitimpiti said.
After witnessing a child sitting outside her church with a gaping wound, covered with fleas, she was overwhelmed with empathy and decided to take matters into her own matters. She obtained her NQF level four qualification in early childhood development and opened her own centre so she could provide better assistance for the community.
Step Ahead was opened in 2007 and has since grown into a safe place for 104 preschool children.
Mpitimpiti also co-ordinates 210 preschools around the Eastern Cape region.
She also provides much needed assistance for five foster homes that care for 24 orphans.
Clover Mama Afrika is a sustainable corporate social investment project that has been in existence since 2001.
The initiative teaches women, affectionately called ‘Mamas’, due to their standing in their neighbourhoods in communities all over the country, to build their skills and sustain and improve their own community projects.
Mpitimpiti’s work also extends to adults.
She offers training for other adults who want to obtain their NQF level four qualifications in early childhood development.
She also has a home bakery, a tea garden, a salon, and a tshisanyama, the proceeds of which assist in supplementing the children in her care, who are not covered by the department of social development.
Clover manager Elain Vlok, who recently met Mpitimpiti and observed her work in person, said: “Clover Mama Afrika empowers each of their Mama Afrikas in such a way that they are then in turn to go back to their communities and share their skills and knowledge with others and hopefully empower further lives.
“Mama Nondumiso Mpitimpiti is a hard-working, strong and determined woman and she puts her community and those in her care first, making sure their needs are met in whatever way she is able toassist,” Vlok said.
