Two groups of traditional healers from the Bushbuckridge area attended a Business Management and Project Leadership course at the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry from 22 to 26 November.
The training focussed on personal drive, strategic thinking, project management, business knowledge and project leadership.
"How to start and run a small business and the sustainable use of natural resources is one of the main aims of the course," said project facilitator Antoinette Ngwenya. Because some of the traditional healers are semi-literate, games are used to teach them skills like teamwork and leadership.
The two groups, Vukuzenzele meaning "stand up and do it for yourself" and Bopholong "place of life", already successfully run nurseries for the trade in plants with medicinal value. The Vukuzenzele group also attended a course in Nature Conservation and the sustainability of plants during September of this year in Durban.
Sipho Shai, one of the traditional healers who attended the course, said, "the skills I learned regarding project management and how to complete basic income and balance sheets will help me in the successful running of my business. It is most important to take what I have learned back to my community and teach it to others," he said.
By Gavin Olivier
