Maureen Ndlela
My name is Maureen Ndlela. I grew up in the area Zenzele in Howick. I have one sister and one brother who are older than me. I also have two step sisters and one step brother. I am a single parent of one child, a son. I am living in Dambuza.
I am doing an advanced bookkeeping course at the Varsity College and still have to do financial accounting to complete my course. I started working for JAW in 2007. I do the administration work, like collecting the post; order the stationery and other duties. I am also responsible for some financial work. Petty cash management, manage the receipt book and preparing the account payments against invoice, etc.
What I like about JAW is that everyone is free to talk. When I look back, working with JAW was the start of a new life for me, compared to the past six years. I like what I am doing, even though I make mistakes sometimes. I am glad, because these mistakes gave me the opportunity to learn. I hope for my future, that I become a qualified bookkeeper.
I wish to see that JAW grows stronger and continues with helping people. I am hoping that violence, abuse and crime in general get less through NGOs like JAW.
What do I like about my job?
It’s the beginning of my work. I can do office work, which I like. I got the chance to improve my skills, even though it was a challenge sometimes. Before I started the admin work I was thinking about becoming a social worker. Now I like my work and I’ve got the opportunity to help people in another way. That’s what JAW is doing.
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Solly Buthelezi
My name is Solla Buthelezi. I was born in Pietermaritzburg. I was staying at Caluza in Edendale. I started school at the Caluza School and attended standard nine. We were five girls and four boys in my family. My brother and my two sisters passed away.
I married twice but it never worked out. I am divorced now. I have three children from the first marriage and three from the second marriage.
I started working with Justice and Women in 1997. To that time we were seven ladies. Everything started with these seven ladies. I really like Justice and Women. JAW helps ladies to stand by themselves and to become independent. I am what I am through JAW. We have learned so many things. Now I ended up being a Paralegal.
I do mediation, maintenance, divorce and protection orders. I am very self-confident through this Job. It makes me proud. I can see if there is trouble between two parties. I do not break marriages. I help women and give them advice before completing the divorce papers. I see when a woman is not taking my advice and I help men as well. Through this Job I have learned that women can be abusers too. I have seen that elder ladies and children are being abused, which is terrible.
What I am hoping will happen in next year of work
I hope that the Access to Justice Project becomes stronger and stronger to help the communities. I hope it will help the Inkosi’s and Induna’s especially. I hope the project can open their eyes.
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Thobile Biyela
My name is Thobile Biyela. I was born in Melmoth at Yanguye Reserve. I have one brother and five sisters. Four of my sisters passed away. I am the fifth girl. I am a mother of nine children. I have one daughter and one son. My daughter is 13 years old. My son was a still-born in 2007. Five of these children are from my sisters. Three are from my brother. I am living with my mum. My father passed away twelve years ago. Am in process of getting married but we do not have the exact date yet.
I am working as an Intern for ‘Justice and Women’ since January 2008. I am working with the community by helping them to access their needs. I am passionate about the work with the community and doing the workshops. I like to teach them about their rights and other things. I have got a great opportunity to work with ‘Justice and Women’. I have learned many things. I have never learned things before. I like to take responsibility.
I am doing a Paralegal course at Intec-College now, which is linked to my work with JAW. I like about JAW that they taught us to stand up for ourselves. They taught us to be independent. I really like my job. I am getting to know different ideas from different people. I like helping people to feel strong. I am an open-minded person, I like laughing. But if someone treats me badly I am getting sensitive and short tempered.
The biggest reward my group achieved
The biggest reward for me: I remember last time I helped 29 community members to access their application of grants. I was standing in the court to help other women. They had problems with their money. It was deposited in the wrong account. We won the case.
