Foundation works to uplift people in rural communities

Driven by a passion to support rural families overlooked by the system, 52-year-old Nosintu Gwebindlala, wife of Chief Zwelikhanyile Vuyani Gwebindlala of the Xhorha region, launched her foundation in 2022.

Since then, the Nosintu Gwebindlala Foundation has brought real change; helping more than 700 people access social grants, education and vital services they had long been denied.

A proud traditional leader in the Xhorha Mouth, Elliotdale, and chair of the Bulungula Incubator, Nosintu is combining heart, heritage and hard work to uplift her community; and smiles are spreading because of it.

“Being a wife to a traditional leader, you get people on your doorstep on an everyday basis so I took the decision to found a nonprofit organisation.

She works with Lindiwe Tukane, who is board chair, Vuyolwethu Jaxa, a founder and director, Esethu Gwebindlala, a co-founder, Azipheli Bani, a co founder, as well board member Katy Miller.

“We decided to partner with the department of social development in 2022 to solve the community problems.”

Nosintu Gwebindlala said there was a notable trend of undocumented people in the  village and that is how social welfare issues became the main focus of the foundation.

The foundation has created a virtual office where people who are not within the vicinity are able to connect and send their enquiries and the organisation assists by advising on how to go about resolving the issue.

“We believe that social welfare injustice is also a pandemic and a generational challenge,” she said.

Gwebindlala said there were several reasons why people in rural villages often did not have birth certificates or ID documents.

These ranged from a lack of awareness and financial challenges to parental neglect, especially in traditional rural areas.

“We’ve seen situations where learners attend school all the way to matric, but then can’t continue their studies because they don’t even have birth certificates, simply because their parents failed to register them, and some are declared dead, while some are registered with the wrong gender,” she said.

She said in some cases, people were not assisted regardless of having all the supporting documents.

Assisting people and seeing people happy and hopeful is what fulfils her.

The foundation hosts fundraising events to raise money for transport costs.

“We collect the people and their documents; take them to home affairs where they are assisted while we ensure that there are no language barriers.”

Rejane Woodroffe who nominated Gwebindlala as a Daily Dispatch Local Hero, said the nomination came from direct experience of her remarkable contributions to community development and from witnessing the profound impact of her work on the lives of those most in need.

“Nosintu is a shining example of community-centred leadership and her commitment to improving the lives of those in rural, underserved areas is unwavering.

“Through the Nosintu Gwebindlala Foundation, she helps community members from extremely disadvantaged households — especially those living with disabilities, the elderly and people without access to transportation — obtain critical documents such as ID books and birth certificates.”

Woodroffe said these documents were often the key to accessing social grants, education and employment opportunities.

She frequently accompanies individuals personally to government offices, sometimes making multiple trips, all to ensure they are treated with dignity and receive the support they need.

Her work directly relieves suffering and uplifts the most vulnerable.

She leads with humility, integrity, and an unmatched commitment to service.

Daily Dispatch