Gugulethu, Cape Town
The Masakhe Ladies’ Stokvel is a community-based organisation that aims to improve the living conditions and livelihoods of people living in townships and informal settlements in Cape Town. Founded in February 2019 by 60 women in Gugulethu, Cape Town, it is an organisation funded by women, run by women and seeks to benefit them directly. It constructs new homes, expands and renovates social housing, and incorporates rental units as part of this work so that the owners can generate passive income. Funds are sourced from a “stokvel” group savings scheme where a group of people contribute a fixed amount of money to a common pool weekly.
Achievements
- Development of 39 homes, inclusive of new homes developed from scratch and existing homes that have been expanded and renovated.
- Recognition and support from a number of contributors across different sectors of society.
Stakeholders
- Core stakeholder group and primary beneficiaries: the organisation’s members
- Private sector: PPC and Corobrick
- Public sector: Departments of Human Settlements and Public Works, the Housing Development Agency
