I was mentored by award-winning entrepreneur and author, fondly known as the godmother of Stokvelling in South Africa, Busi Skenjane, who has been shaping the stokvel movement for over 40 years.
From my own upbringing to my time under Mam Busi’s wing at the Stokvel Academy in Soweto, I saw that most stokvel members seeking training and mentorship were women. This shaped how I tailored my content to reflect the daily realities of the resilient women who continue to drive our economy today.
Stokvels are the heartbeat of community finance in South Africa, and the face of stokvels is female. About 57% of stokvel members are women, and over 60% of informal traders are women too.
This isn’t just history, it’s today’s reality: women drive the stokvel movement, lead many households, and power the Township economy.
The question is—are mainstream financial services truly listening? The Township economy offers a trillion-rand inclusion opportunity if we design with women at the centre.
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