Clover Mama Afrika equips women with skills for sustainable livelihoods
The kitchens at Clover Mama Afrika Trust were recently filled with the warm aroma of freshly baked goods, and more importantly, the spirit of learning and empowerment as a group of dedicated Mamas completed their Pies and Pastries Training.
The Mamas were guided through hands-on training in the art of baking savoury pies and sweet pastries. For many, this was not just a new skill but a powerful tool, an opportunity to return to their home centres and create income-generating ventures within their communities.
But the training didn’t stop at the oven door.
Recognising that sustainable empowerment means combining skill with strategy, the programme also included a mini workshop on costing and profit calculations. This additional session taught the Mamas how to price their products accurately by understanding ingredient costs, labour, and profit margins, ensuring they can turn their baking efforts into viable micro-businesses.
Rika Haasbroek, Clover Manager: Corporate Social Investment, says:
“We believe in nurturing skills that lead to independence. By offering both practical training and basic business knowledge, we equip our Mamas to thrive, not just survive.”
The initiative is part of Clover Mama Afrika’s ongoing commitment to uplifting women across South Africa through education, skills development, and community support. Every pie baked is a step toward self-sufficiency, and every Mama trained becomes a beacon of hope in her community.
With the success of this workshop, and the beautifully crafted pastries that came out of it, the impact is already being felt, and tasted, in communities across the country.
About Clover Mama Afrika
Clover Mama Afrika is a sustainable Corporate Social Investment project that has been in existence since 2001. Over the years the project has hosted 1,917 training sessions with skills transferred to 16,016 community members over the years. Teaching and guiding strong females (lovingly called ‘Mamas’ due to their standing in their neighbourhoods) in communities all over the country, in order to build their skills and sustain and improve their own community projects. Only the most committed are enrolled and these include women looking after orphans, the elderly and those suffering from HIV/Aids.
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