Clover Mama Afrika Celebrates 25 Years of Uplifting Communities by Honouring 2026 Winners
- Clover Mama Afrika celebrated its 25th anniversary with a prestigious awards gala at The Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg in October 2026
- Khayelitsha’s Mama Nolitha Ndalasi emerged as the night's biggest winner, taking home four accolades, including the Gold Ukwakha Isizwe Award, after transferring 919 skills and creating 436 jobs
- Since launching with just four women in 2001, the empowerment programme has appointed 60 Mamas who drive skills development and enterprise across eight provinces
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Clover Mama Afrika has marked a major quarter-century milestone by honouring the female community leaders driving grassroots empowerment and job creation across South Africa. Held in October 2026 at The Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg under the theme Rooted in Purpose, Leading with Heart, the celebratory gala brought together donors, partners, and Mamas to reflect on a movement that started with just four women in 2001. Today, the initiative has grown into a nationally recognised network of 60 appointed Mamas operating across eight provinces.
Khayelitsha’s Mama Nolitha leads 2026 award winners
Western Cape community leader Mama Nolitha Ndalasi from Khayelitsha dominated the awards podium after recording an impressive 919 skills transfers and generating 436 employment opportunities over the past year. Alongside claiming the Skills Transfer Champion and Employment Creation awards, she secured the Bernina SA Prize for Sewing, the Hair Academy Hub recognition in barbering, and the coveted Gold Ukwakha Isizwe Award. Other standout honourees included Pretoria’s Mama Rina Malan for financial growth, Hammanskraal’s Mama Kedibone Miyambo and Winterveld’s Mama Mary Lwate for business innovation, as well as Silver and Bronze Ukwakha Isizwe winners Mama Sipiwe Solomons of Hazyview and Mama Engelina Molete of Dobsonville.
A 25-year legacy of self-reliance and community impact
Reflecting on the anniversary, Clover’s Corporate Social Investment Manager Rika Haasbroek credited the programme's enduring success to the resilience of the Mamas—some of whom have served their communities for two decades—and the steadfast backing of partners and suppliers. Guided by its founding philosophy, "I Learn. I Earn. I Teach", the initiative equips women with practical capabilities in agriculture, baking, sewing, food security, and early childhood development so they can build profitable enterprises and pass those skills on to neighbours. Moving into its next chapter, Clover Mama Afrika remains committed to scaling sustainable entrepreneurship that uplifts local households for years to come.
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3 Briefly News articles on women's empowerment
- The annual Clover Mama Afrika Awards Summit in Mossel Bay honoured Mzansi female community leaders for their dedication to skills development, entrepreneurship, and uplifting vulnerable neighbours.
- A 22-year-old Soweto entrepreneur, Tshidzi Muthivhi, inspired South Africans after sharing how she grew her business, Revive Day Spa, from a humble back room with almost no clients into a thriving luxury spa that now creates jobs for other young women.
- Ntjantja Ned rose from a QwaQwa village social worker to a leading policy architect who designed South Africa’s Child Support Grant and championed early childhood development across local government.
Source: Briefly News
