Mamelani has also developed a low-cost recipe book to use as the basis for a series of healthy cooking demonstrations that are being offered in communities and as a follow up session after the health education workshops. The demonstrations aim to show participants how to maximize flavour and nutrition, while minimising energy use. The book covers topics such as understanding basic nutrition, cooking methods, filtering water, sprouting beans and basic hygiene. The recipes are all vegetarian, with a focus on combining foods for nutritional balance. The recipes have been designed to be cost effective, nutritious and delicious!

The booklet costs R30 and is available to the public. Income generated from sales will go towards the community-based cooking demonstrations. By purchasing this booklet, you create opportunities for others to learn more about cooking for better health.

Mamelani would like to thank Larissa Green of lovegreenfood and Tania Bester who have contributed time and energy into developing the booklet. For more information please visit www.lovegreenfood.co.za
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Many of the women attending Mamelani's workshops are unemployed and the need to include income-generating activities in the program has become clear. The first initiative comes in the form of a recycling project where three ladies are turning boxes such as cereal boxes and juice containers into wallets that look beautiful, work well and last long. These boxes are being carefully hand crafted into stylish practical wallets at Mamelani as part of an income generating initiative. The wallets are functional and fun, whether the wallet is made from a milk carton or a tea box. Most importantly, they are meant to make us think about our waste in a new way. We want the wallets to promote the idea that what one considers to be waste can be turned into something useful. The fact that the wallets have been made from recycled materials will hopefully remind us to reflect on our consumption patterns and encourage less wasteful lifestyles.

We are constantly finding new innovative ways of giving your rubbish a make-over. Let us turn your waste into a "Lucky Spaji" (Ispaji meaning wallet in isiXhosa). You ask, What's lucky about our wallets?... Buy one and you'll see!

If anyone would like to collaborate, we are collecting boxes! Let us turn your waste into a "Lucky Spaji".

These stylish wallets cost R100. Income generated from sales goes towards building sustainable livelihoods for women from our programs.

Mamelani would like to thank Catherine Scott for the time and energy she has put into developing this initiative.

Mamelani has been working with Jullard Creations, a collective that empowers people from marginalized communities to generate their own income by producing handmade crafts using traditional African techniques. Currently they are looking at training women from Mamelani’s programs in making handbags from T-shirt off-cuts using a traditional Zimbabwean weaving technique.

These beautiful bags cost R150 each. Income generated from sales goes towards building sustainable livelihoods for women from our programs.

Mamelani would like to thank Willard Kavemba and Juma Mkwela for the time and energy they have put into developing this initiative.
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