Zimele: Gracious Zulu Hospitality

Recent visit to South Africa by CWR staff and advocates.

Visiting Covenant World Relief partners is always inspiring for me because I get to see first-hand God’s transforming work in the lives of individuals and communities. Recently CWR advisory team members Debbie Blue, Robert Owens, and John Tanagho joined me on a trip to South Africa to visit Zimele, a Christian organization that seeks to empower Zulu women. These women form Self Help Groups (SHGs) in which they meet regularly to build up their savings, take out loans for small businesses, study the Bible, pray, and encourage one another.
As we visited several SHGs we heard how the women and their families were being changed. Not only that, we also heard how the women in these groups are seeking to change their communities. Many of the SHGs have started kindergartens and programs for youth. Most of the groups we visited were actively engaged in caring for orphans whose parents had died of HIV/AIDS. Their goal is to make it possible for these children to be raised in families in the community, rather than be placed in an institution.
Near the end of our trip we visited a remote village where the women of one SHG had pooled their savings and started a bed and breakfast. The four of us had the privilege of being their first customers. The women worked together to cook us a delicious meal of local delicacies. After the meal our hosts performed traditional Zulu singing and dancing. Near the end of the performance the women asked each one of us to dance for them. This was my least favorite part of our stay, but I think we provided our hosts with some good laughs as they watched our awkward attempts at Zulu dancing. That night we slept in traditional Zulu beehive huts that the women had helped to construct. After a hearty breakfast we said our goodbyes and left praising God for his work through Zimele, inspired by women whose lives have been transformed, and thankful for ECC churches and individuals who generously give to make this partnership possible. —Dave Husby