The Arising of Sedow - By Caroline Malokotsa

Written By: Caroline Malokotsa

Category: Opinion piece, book review,articles on different topics and a short essay.

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, Caroline Malokotsa presents "The Arising of Sedow," a creative work that delves into socio-economic challenges and empowerment in South Africa. This submission is part of her broader collection, which also includes opinion pieces, book reviews, and descriptive writings. Malokotsa's "The Arising of Sedow" brings to life the inspiring journey of Maryam Kekeletso Mphuthi and her co-founders as they establish the Socio Economic Development Organisation for Women (SEDOW) to create opportunities in a landscape fraught with employment challenges.

About the Work

"The Arising of Sedow" is a narrative rich with themes of empowerment and resilience. Set against the backdrop of South Africa, it tells the story of women transforming their lives through socio-economic initiatives. Malokotsa employs vivid imagery and an engaging narrative style to portray the determination and collaborative spirit of SEDOW's founders. The work serves as both a motivational piece and a call to action, highlighting how community-driven efforts can empower individuals and inspire societal change.

Folder of Caroline Malokotsa's writing

Original Submission by Caroline Malokotsa

INDEX

1. Arising of Sedow

2. Descriptions

3. Sowing sweet seeds across the ocean 4. They don’t make them like they used to 5. A book review

1. THE ARISING OF SEDOW - SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES By Caroline Malokotsa

An alarming number of people in South Africa can unfortunately relate to this. You obtain a qualification and start knocking on doors, seeking employment. Job seekers are way more than available posts. Some potential employers solicit money to get you to make the shortlist. These are challenges which, 35- year-old Maryam Kekeletso Mphuthi, who is originally from Lesotho, had to contend with. Among other things, she did an internship at Auwal Socio economic Research Institute (ASRI) as an Assistant legal/Public Policy Researcher. When it ended, she started looking for a permanent position.

After months of fruitless searching, she decided to divert her energy into starting an organisation that would create jobs instead. True to her character of living her life to serve others, she founded a recently operational, Socio Economic Development Organisation for Women (SEDOW) on the 2nd of January 2017 in Randburg where she resides.

Mainly, the organisation aims to find women who are willing to change their lives and those of others by using their hands and minds. SEDOW will help them unleash their full potentials by training them in their areas of interests, followed by advice and monitoring for a certain period of time until they develop confidence in themselves.

Trainees will learn how to produce a wide variety of products, package, market, sell, distribute and run their businesses. Some corporate and legal business training will be incorporated to enable them to run those effectively. Upon their completion, non-profit companies will be established to let them produce to sell. This will bring them much needed income; serve as a reinvestment into the companies and funding to the mother organisation, SEDOW.

The first non-profit company is already established and registered. Would- be trainees will be fully fledged businesswomen soon.

On the 1st of October 2017, there were food stalls, homemade items, children’s activities, entertainment, etc.… where SEDOW was participating in Ferndale fun day as its first fund raising initiative.

Maryam is not taking sole credit for the foundation of this organisation. She attributes its existence to the following remarkable co-founders: Lesego

Aamilah Mokoloboto, Safiya Umar, Jamila Jumah, Annikie Aisha Maila, Maryam Hoosien Abrahams, Pulane Shaheeda Mphuthi, Keletso Zaydah Mphuthi and Dr Sindile Amina Ngubane Mokiwa.

It is SEDOW’s belief that solving economic problems cascades to the solution of other social and political problems. Inspired by a wise saying, “if you teach a woman, you teach a nation”, it also believes that women should be empowered, developed and educated. Social and legal issues confronting them will be attended to as well in the future.

2. Descriptions of various scenarios by Caroline Malokotsa

DESCRIPTION OF A PLAYGROUND

The loud chattering of children can be heard from across the street. Filling the air is the tantalizing smell of fish and chips from Mrs Nkuna’s nearby spaza shop. Brightly coloured swing and slides are slightly far apart, facing each other as if in awe. The more adventurous and carefree among them enjoy the tingling from the lawn under their tiny feet.

DESCRIPTION OF A BUSY SHOPPING CENTRE

Escalators continuously onload and off-load as people rush past, oblivious of one another. Mothers with toddlers tighten their grip as their little eyes start wandering. With luring advertisements and ‘SALE’ signs wherever you lay your eyes, even grown-ups cannot be immune from the confusion.

Amid the hustle and bustle, a bevy of teenagers walk leisurely and aimlessly, window shopping and sampling new brands of perfumes at a shop so small you have to be really looking to see it.

DESCRIPTION OF A QUIET EVENING

The crickets have taken a night off and for the first time in your life, you are aware of the sound of your own heartbeat. A gentle breeze fills the air with a bewitching scent of flowers.

The stars and the moon hover over the earth unassumingly, yet without trying, they bring out such conspicuous superiority with them.

3. Sowing sweet seeds across the oceans

By Caroline Malokotsa

In the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, southern side of Sicily (Italy) lays the island -state of Malta. It’s there where you will find, for the very first time, rows and rows of sprouting leaves of Stevia Rebaudiana. A sight for sore eyes indeed, thanks to honorary international director for Malta in South Africa for Beyond light and Torball Society of the blind, Ruwayda Isaacs (Bella). Earlier this year, Stevia Rebaudiana seeds were donated from all over the world to visually impaired farmers but unfortunately, they failed to grow. Fast forward 25 May 2018, this South African Global Goodwill Ambassador donated fifty thousand seeds of this bio-sweetner. Now there is jubilation among everyone involved as she has just welcomed the juicy news that seeds are growing.

These plants dislike wet soils but thrive in warm, not hot weather. A modest helping of nitrogen, plus compost or mulch on top of the soil ensures much needed nourishment.

As soon as there is enough to use, Stevia Rebaudiana’s leaves are ripe for the picking. The best time to do that is in the morning when the sweetness is at its peak. Bella accompanied her donation to blind farmers with this valuable information in order to attain maximum results. Suffice to say, she was not disappointed. Former State Minister Noel Farrugia, founder of Torball Society of the Blind, sent her a tank of gratitude, together with everyone who contributed to making this project a success; namely, Mr Charles Micallef of Visual Farmers and non-visual Farmers Mr Michael Scerri of Gozo island and Mr Joseph Stafrace, non-visual team leader, Mr Michael Debattista and Ms Elich.

Arch Olivia Carone , expert on Effective Microorganism Agriculture research in Malta got a special mention. Minister Hon Owen Bonnici and Parliamentary Secretary Hon Agius Decelis were showered with appreciation for being patrons of “Beyond Arts & Wellbeing Malta Project”.

Come harvest time, special needs schools in Malta and Gozo are going to be the beneficiaries of this labour of love.

Ruwayda Isaacs and all those who are continuing to lend a hand in this and many other projects epitomise the saying “as you sow, so shall you reap”.

OPINION PIECE

4. THEY DON’T MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TO

BY CAROLINE MALOKOTSA

We often hear about how young people have changed for the worst. They are perceived as being disrespectful, uncaring and rude. That may be true to a certain extent, at least with some youth. Does the opposite apply to all adults though?

I was raised to show common decency by offering an adult a seat in a packed bus. Imagine my disgust when a mother told her teenage daughter not to offer anyone a seat as she has paid bus fare too.

What about the filth in our towns and townships? Grown-ups throw banana peels and beer cans out of car windows all the time. That’s setting a bad example for their children. It is no wonder we live in one of the dirties countries in the world.

In the past, children were taught to respect adults in every way. Currently, the world is faced with a dilemma due to the appalling acts that that are committed by adults towards children. Pedophilia, incest and other forms of sexual perversions are on the increase; all these perpetrated by adults who should know better. Young people are confused. They don’t know who to trust, and can we blame them?

I remember the days when every grown up was your parent. You could not use foul language or do anything unbecoming in their presence. They could reprimand you and you would listen. They could even spank you and you would run home as fast as your legs could carry you. No word to your parents about it because if you did, you could bet your last cent, you would be spanked some more.

What happens today, given a similar situation, is that if a parent finds out that someone else was trying to discipline their child, he would grab them by the hand, go to a particular adult and give them a piece of their mind. Most of the time the language used is X-rated. If parents behave like this, do they honestly expect their offspring to behave any differently?

This kind of behavior has naturally spilled over to the schools where teachers are often given a hard time for trying to mould young people into better future citizens. Today, what used to be the safest place to be is now the most dangerous, given these disciplinary problems that are worsening day by day.

Hard as it may be, we have no alternative but to go back to the time when it literally took a village to raise a child. It will not be exactly like it was; nothing can really be. Despite having less time in our hands, with both parents having to work, we can still make it if we really want to.

When something is extremely important to you, you MAKE time, no matter what.

5. A BOOK REVIEW BY CAROLINE MALOKOTSA

THE THORNBIRDS: AUTHOR: COLLEEN McCULLOUGH

The Thornbirds is a fiction based on the love of a woman, Meghann Cleary, for a man, Ralph de Bricassart, whom she lost to the priesthood. This unrequited love influenced the life of Meggie and those she came in contact with for years to come.

Meggie grew up in a poor family of nine as the only girl among six boys; Frank, Bob, Jack, Hughie, Stuart and Hal, who was born six days before Meggie’s ninth birthday. She was very attached to him, doing more mothering than her mother, Fiona Cleary.

When Meggie was almost ten, Padraic Cleary, Meggie’s father moved them to an Australian sheep station in Drogheda owned by his rich, widowed sister, Mary Carson. She had just turned sixty-five, which made her think about his only surviving brother, a logical choice for an heir. That is where the Clearys met Father Ralph de Bricassart. Since his first meeting with them, Father Ralph was drawn to Meggie.

He understood her more than anyone else. He was the one who cleared up the mystery for her when she was fifteen, having her period and thought she was suffering from a strange disease. He offered her comfort when Hal died. When her father and Stuart died, Father Ralph was more concerned about how she is coping.

Meggie was falling deeper and deeper in love with Father Ralph. The feeling was mutual, but Father Ralph told her his first priority is the church and he could not act on his feelings.

When she was 23, she married Luke O’Neill, partly because he looked like Ralph, but that was where the similarities between the two men ended. Their marriage was anything but a happy one. They had two children, Justine and Dane. Luke was not Dane’s biological father, but Meggie chose not to tell anyone, not even his father.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating the art of writing across diverse genres. It encourages writers from around the globe to share their unique voices and stories. This competition fosters creativity, offering participants a chance to engage with a broad audience and contribute to a dynamic literary community. It remains an esteemed event for emerging and established writers alike.

We extend our gratitude to Caroline Malokotsa for her insightful contribution, "The Arising of Sedow," to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her narrative not only sheds light on the socio-economic challenges but also celebrates the power of community and women's empowerment. We look forward to seeing more of her thoughtful and impactful writing in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.