ElectricAid Project of the Month
Self-help grows vegetables and creates jobs in South Africa
Nzhelele young Adults Development Project was set up in the Limpopo Province of the Vhembe District of South Africa in 2004.
The aim of the project was to create job opportunities for the poorest of the young people of the district (including refugees from Zimbabwe) and to maintain health levels in orphans and vulnerable children. The successful anti-retroviral therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS patients depends absolutely on a good level of nutrition.
They started out by planting vegetables around the Church buildings in the Parish of Nzhelele. This enabled orphans and vulnerable children in the area to have vegetables at no cost. After procuring a five hectare plot of land from the local council they were able to greatly expand their garden project and began attending workshops about agricultural development in order to maximise their crop yields.
In 2007 the group applied to ElectricAid to fund the building of a fence and the purchase of a water pump, insecticides and pesticides for the garden. By selling the bulk of their produce the group intended to use the income generated to replenish and expand the garden in order to sustain the project in future years. The rest of the crops would be given to orphans and vulnerable children who desperately required nutrition. And all the while the project would keep between seven and 15 people in employment in the area.
Receiving a grant of €10,000 in May 2007, the group put the money to work. Debushing - clearing of shrubs and cutting of thorn trees had to be undertaken initially in order to start erecting the fence. After the fence was partially erected a storeroom was built to house all of the materials purchased for the development of the garden. Security is a constant problem in the Developing World. The shed eliminated the daily two hour walk carrying materials from the village to the field.
During the course of the project misfortune struck the group on more than one occasion. In December 2007 the project chairman died, and some precious skills were lost to the group. In January 2008, some project materials were stolen, only some of which were recovered by the police.
Despite the adversity they faced, the group pressed on, fencing was concluded when the dry season arrived in October. The group also changed their status from that of a NPO (Non Profit Organisation) to a Co-operative, which will entitle them to assistance with training among other things. Besides picking up horticultural and building skills, the young people are learning how to effectively run their own organisation and how to deal with problems and bureaucracy.
Now called Tsitanwana Agricultural Co-operative, the group continues to keep young men and women in training and employment, many of their members have moved on to better paying full time jobs. It is sustainable projects like this that really benefit developing communities in the long run and it is your weekly contributions that provide the kick-start that is essential in making them happen.
