#STORIES | 1 MIN READ

Hendrieta Malembe

 

Hendrietta lives in Bethanie, near Brits. She went to school in Bakwena. At school her dream was to become a pilot, but her subject choices at school, her marks, and the high course fees served as absolute obstacles to her realising this dream. Instead Hendrietta joined the Black Umbrellas Incubator and started Khanginothando (Pty) Ltd.

Hendrietta is assured of a five-year contract with Glencore, one of the world’s largest globally diversified natural resource companies, upon graduation from the programme to operate a laundromat. Thereafter the business opportunities will be open to tender, which she agrees with, to cut dependency through expectations of guaranteed demand. Glencore will provide the starter capital for the necessary equipment, but the equipment will be owned by it. Recruitment for her staff will have to come from recruitment lists operated by the mine.

“I am disappointed in the general lethargy that my neighbours demonstrate towards finding work and opportunities, says Hendrietta. “I feel that in general people have a lack of energy to apply themselves to anything to break inter-generational poverty. It seems as if people have given up. The Social and Labour plans are well known and should be seen as avenues for advancement.”

I feel so privileged to have been part of the Black Umbrellas Incubator to be able to break that cycle and demonstrate to my community that there is another way. 

Hendrietta Malemba