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Lillian Masebenza
Social Entrepreneur, Ashoka Fellow
Lillian Masebenza was left distraught
and penniless with the dissolution of
her marriage. Left to fend for herself
and her three children, she became
profoundly aware of the plight of many
South African women who face a similar
situation. Excluded from wealth and
capital by apartheid in the past and
exclusive BEE deals in more recent
years, they frequently cede all
financial control in their personal
lives or remain in abusive relationships
due to economic dependence.
As a result, Lillian has been inspired
to start up Mhani Gingi, a social
entrepreneurship network that has
innovated traditional stokvels to
incorporate components of skills
training and investment for rural women.
As a devout Christian Lillian shares
with viewers how overcoming her own
personal hardship has taught her that we
should not to let our struggle for
survival erode our core values. She is
also a firm believer in the healing
benefits of singing, and participates
weekly in her local church choir.
To remain spiritually anchored she
attends Foundation’s courses, which are
Christian based workshops that have
helped her to dissolve her conceptual
sense of self and connect more deeply
with her true spiritual identity. She
also nourishes her spirit by revelling
in the “infinite mysteries of nature”
and finds water especially therapeutic.
She says that her daily walks along
Blouberg beach have taught her much
about life.
“It is our norms
and values that is really our true
wealth in life.”
www.ashoka.org
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