Our partnership with Zimele

On March 26 2020, a countrywide lockdown in South Africa was enacted in an effort to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. During this time, the impoverished rural communities remained the most vulnerable, as the shutdown disrupted their ability to access resources and maintain small businesses. This put entire families and communities at risk of both food and financial insecurity. 

One Day’s Wages partnered with Zimele Wethu Foundation to respond to the needs of rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal during the countrywide lockdowns. The project supplied emergency relief to the most vulnerable families, children, and small business owners who were at risk of losing their livelihoods. Zimele conducted community workshops with Clusters Groups, Social Care Projects, and Small Businesses to provide them with education on social distancing and instruction on basic hygiene to help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. They provided essential hygiene supplies like soap, cleaning materials, and face masks which were made by Zimele crafters. Finally, Zimele supported chicken farming and agro-businesses to support the community during COVID-19.