Thulile Thembe

Thulile Thembe is Interpreter, facilitator & Research Assistant on the Umkhanyakude case study.

I grew up in Mseleni, started learning at Mseleni Primary School in 1986 and finished Matric at Zenzeleni High School 1997. In 1998 I moved to Durban to work in a Spaza Shop and returned to Mseleni 1999. In 2000 I became a radio presenter for the community radio station funded by UNESCO, 2 months later I was selected out of 5 presenters to attend a radio presenting training course at Bramfontein, Johannesburg, I passed the course but unfortunately the radio station was closed in 2001.

I started working as a Secretary for the Ubombo task team, attending meetings and reporting back to the community, we opened a Nursery project in Mseleni but it failed becaue we didn't receive funding from the Dept of Agriculture. Since then I was not working properly until this research opportunity came up, I enjoyed working on this project a lot: I have improved my communication skills, worked with a wide range of people and found out a great deal about my community and the water situation here, it was my first time to go to the water plant and find out how water comes to the community.