What a busy woman this wonderful sister is!
Nomusa Mabaso of Umlazi BB Ward, Durban Stake, is a woman of faith and commitment. After 40 years as a school teacher, in 2008 she retired and was called as ward Employment Specialist. She is now the ward Self-Reliance Specialist. Each week she facilitates 3 Self-Reliance groups! If it’s Tuesday or Saturday it’s “Starting and Growing My Business”; if it’s Sunday it’s “Education for Better work”.
Nomuso first came into contact with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1998 when sister missionaries knocked on her door. In December 1998, hers was the first baptism in the newly-built Umlazi BB Ward chapel!
She decided to join the very first business course at the new Durban Self-Reliance Centre. She then persuaded one of her sons to join a subsequent business course, and they both graduated. With her support and guidance at least 70 members in her ward have now completed “My Path”.
Self-reliance success is real: three of the seven sisters on the “Women of Faith” Tuesday Business class have started their own businesses and now pay tithes. Two are planning to start a business and two others are successfully growing existing businesses. This was achieved without the use of technology: “We don’t have computer use so we use written resources”.
An example of her own faith is that one day she needed to attend the business course - as a group member. She realised that she had no money for the taxi. Her son didn’t have any either so she looked everywhere in the house without any luck. Then the thought came to her: 'Go to the old coat”. She found R20 – just enough! She was so happy that she could attend her class. “The first My Foundation lesson was faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I tried it and discovered that it worked!”
Nomusa’s career was teaching all subjects in both Primary and Senior Schools and she later specialized in Mathematics and English. She then became a trainer in a Teacher Training College. She enjoys her challenging role as ward Self-Reliance Specialist.
Nomusa is also an innovator. Knowing that many people in the community need help, as a volunteer she has started up an organisation teaching Career Guidance at Mangosutu University of Technology. She uses the old LDS Employment Program material. There were a lot of unemployed engineering graduates. Under her motivating guidance, the graduates researched suitable companies and then offered themselves as volunteers. As a result all got internships and by the end of the year all eleven had permanent employment.
Nomusa Mabaso is a power house of faith and commitment both in and out of the Church! She loves her work, she loves the Lord, and she loves helping others.
Read how other members are becoming self-reliant and helping others to be self-reliant through the Church's programs.