Mrs Patricia Gumbo helping women in Africa

After returning from a Zimbabwe trip about 4years ago, Alberta based Mrs Patricia Gumbo began to reflect on her just ended visit and realized that she had to do something to give back to her community back home, especially the unemployed women and young girls. That’s when she started the Sihle-Sizwe Organization.

She partnered with a local church organization in Zimbabwe and started a sewing club for the woman which tailors and sells school uniforms. The initiative has since enabled many women to not only put food on the table, but also send their children to school. The club in conjunction with Matopo Book Centre has been sawing school uniforms for “Brethren In Christ Schools” and business has been good. In fact orders have been overwhelmingly flowing in, enabling the organizations continued growth.

“We also cater to individual orders, and right now we are thinking of expanding our services in hospitals and others so as to continue empowering women in Zimbabwe,” said Patricia Gumbo in her interview with Chris Jambs Multimedia via CeeJambs V logs.

Sihle-Sizwe Organization operates from Brethren in Christ Church offices in Lobengula, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. “We are currently assisting women in Lobengula, but l am from Esigodini, Umzingwane, and Mbizingwe are my next destinations in our journey to assist women and girls in Zimbabwe. My husband is from Lupane so we have his sisters helping us serve the Lupane community,” narrated Patricia after Chris Jambs asked her if she was looking to expand her organization further.

“In Canada l have a very supportive church family whom l have partnered with. We’ve also been privileged to obtain a grant from Alberta. I also bake stuff to sell, host garage sales and collect sawing machines in a bid to aid our organization. So l appeal to our Zim-canadian community who have sawing machines or stuff that can be sold at a garage sale to reach out to me so we can make use of such resources.”

During the interview Mrs Gumbo also praised her husband, appreciating his support and encouragement.

In her closing remarks Mrs Patricia Gumbo urges fellow Zimbabweans in Canada and fellow Africans to partake in philanthropic activities, as she noted than we all have something to give, especially being in a first world country. “Africa will not prosper unless we stand up as Africans in a bid to improve and liberate our continent and the lives of our fellow African brothers and sisters, one individual at a time.” To reach out to Mrs Patricia Gumbo or for more info visit www.sihlesizwe.com.

CeeJambs V logs. Credit Jambs Multimedia.