National Women's Day calls us all to celebrate the impact of women in their communities. CSI is an ideal opportunity for brands and the media to do this, and many South African brands have answered the call! We asked Clover Mama Afrika about the importance of publicity in women empowerment projects.
Female voices in the media are vital to the development of future generations. After all, women have a profound talent for knowing what their communities need at any time. It just is what it is.
On the other hand, the best way to spread awareness for any given topic is through publicity.
Thus, women in media and CSI efforts fit together perfectly.
But how does it all work together? What is the value? And how can our efforts be truly sustainable?
media update's Joreke Kleynhans got the perspective of professor Elain Vlok, Clover Mama Afrika's project manager.
1. Why is it important for CSI initiatives and organisations to leverage PR to achieve success?
In my opinion, any CSI organisation needs a PR agency. We cannot do this work alone, especially as a CSI organisation.
We need a public relations agency to assist us in pushing our message and brand out to the public in order for us to be seen and our work to be noticed.
2. In your opinion, why is the presence of female voices so important for the development of future generations?
The female voice is important; women — especially the Mama Afrikas from the Clover Mama Afrika project — are the backbone of their communities. Their voices are significant to their community members and the younger women [being served at] the centres. Their approach and influence impact the next generation.
The Mama Afrikas work hard to lay the correct foundations at their centres and with the youth they are teaching, (and at times raising). [This is] to ensure they are prepared to go out into the world and make a difference.
'When you strike a woman, you strike a rock.' This is such a fitting quote about women's courage and strength. A passionate and compassionate woman will always know where support is needed in her community.
I have come to notice over the years that it is the women in communities who are the ones who are more aware and in touch with what is happening in their community and where the needs lie.
3. Why should members of CSI initiatives work with the media and journalists to ensure the success of their campaigns?
The media is critical in the work we do, and we appreciate any and all coverage support we can get.
We need media to showcase the goodwill of our project — and share the good news stories that come from all across South Africa. This provides us with the necessary publicity for our project, like any other, to gain additional support from large companies and corporations who want to donate.
We as CSI organisations also need to ensure we have stories to share that are relevant for media to use.
4. How can brands ensure that their efforts for women empowerment bring sustainable development to the communities they serve?
For our project specifically, we find that we empower our Mama Afrikas with our continued courses and workshops throughout the year — every year. This keeps their centres, staff and communities developing. Our ethos is to upskill our Mamas and allow them to further upskill their communities.
We find that building confidence is key to development and sustainability. Sharing the news of what the Mamas are up to at their centres and the hard work they put in daily in their communities makes a great difference.
One of the key findings observed over the past 23 years of the project is that when a woman is provided with knowledge, a great impact is seen on her confidence level.
As the [women] are trained and upskilled and they learn new skills and gain knowledge, they become more confident in themselves, as well as the role they have in their communities.
Knowledge is power.
5. In what ways can the media be an ally to women empowerment?
The more people who know about the project, the more opportunity there is for sponsorship to further develop our community leaders and further appoint more amazing female leaders.
Media coverage is critical for awareness. People know about [such projects] due to the goodwill of the media. We need to tell the good news and share the hard work of the women of today to continue to empower them!
6. How can regular South Africans make a difference in the empowerment of women and their communities this Women's Month?
I think anyone can help! Help can be provided in a variety of ways; sometimes, all you need is someone who notices what we are doing and acknowledges our hard work.
Encouragement is also a gift.
Monetary donations are of course always great to help facilitate programmes, training and supplies.
Something that may seem irrelevant to you could make a great difference to someone else's life.
Each and every one of us can make a difference!
Did you enjoy this article? Let us know your thoughts on the topic in the comment section below.
Want to hear more from professor Elain Vlok? Read Why Woman, our previous Q&A with her.
*Image courtesy of Canva