"When I realised that many people in the area were poor and did not have money to buy simple things such as vegetables, I decided to do something"

FIRST lady Sizakele Zuma, has called for rural women to make use of land at their disposal to fight poverty and deal with joblessness.

Zuma, known as MaKhumalo, was speaking yesterday at the Zuma family residence during a visit by Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Rejoice Mabudafhasi.

Mabudafhasi was at Zuma's residence to report back on the progress of the implementation plan to alleviate the water scarcity in the area. She met with women who are part of Qedisimo Sendlala Project.

Nkandla is a poverty-stricken area in northern KwaZulu-Natal with a population of about 160,000.

"When I realised that many people in the area were poor and did not have money to buy simple things such as vegetables, I decided to do something. I started ploughing and planting cabbages, carrots, spinach and other vegetables," Zuma said. "I then called on other women to join in and today, we are reaping the rewards of our hard work.

"I want to make a special appeal to other women to make use of land at their disposal. It does not have to be big, as long as one can plough and be able to feed her family."