With Khathu082, Rofhiwa wants to change lives

As a young married woman, Rofhiwa Caroline Khweleleni endured what she believed to be a very abusive relationship. She took five years to finally make the decision to leave the marriage and start focusing on building a career for herself. This bad experience prompted her to reach out to others in need.

In 2021, Khweleleni (30), who hails from Ngudza Ibvawola outside Thohoyandou, established a non-profit organisation called Khathu082. The organization, registered in November 2022, aims to make a positive impact in the lives of others. As their first project, they distributed clothing and food to identified disadvantaged families.

The organisation again made its presence felt when, in January of this year, they visited the Phandavhudzi family in Lwamondo who had lost their 12-room house in a fire the previous December. The organisation distributed clothing to all the family members.

On July 29, Khathu082 hosted a women’s empowerment conference in Pretoria, where women were taught how to start their own businesses to combat the scourge of unemployment. To end the year on a positive note, they plan to host a men and women's conference in Bunzhe, outside Thohoyandou, on December 23.

Khweleleni said that she had realised that economic freedom was necessary, especially for women. “I do not want other women to go down the same path I took. We are all here to empower people to be financially independent. Out of our own pockets, we have assisted many families, and, God willing, we will continue to do so with or without any funding,” she said.

She added that they were currently taking care of a family of six in Ngudza. “The family has no shelter, and it is our wish for them to get proper housing, but this will depend on the availability of funds. Our goal is to empower the nation and make a difference in people’s lives,” she said.

Date:15 October 2023

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019. He currently writes on a freelance basis, covering human rights issues, court news and entertainment.

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