15/09/2026
An update on our Gardening project and Life Skills Programmes:
The Social Auxiliary Workers conducted educational support and life skills sessions at various schools during 2025-2026. These sessions focused on providing learners with relevant educational assistance and practical life skills to support their personal development.
The schools reached and the number of learners who benefited were as follows:
* George Dickerson Lower Primary: 34 learners.
* Makana Primary School: 38 learners.
* Cewu Primary School: 37 learners.
* Archie Mbolekwa Primary School: 35 learners.
A total of 144 learners benefited from the educational support and life skills sessions conducted across the four schools.
Food Gardening Project
Introduction
The Food Gardening Project was initiated on 7 May 2025 in Hlalani Location. The project aims to support disadvantaged families, contribute towards poverty alleviation and improve household food security. A total of 12 families from disadvantaged households were identified and selected to participate in the project.
Purpose of the Project
The primary purpose of the Food Gardening Project was to empower vulnerable families to establish and maintain household food gardens. The project aimed to assist families in producing their own food, improving household food security and reducing their dependence on purchased food.
Implementation of the Project
On 26 June 2025, the Social Auxiliary Workers, together with Dr Nannamhla from Rhodes University, facilitated the handover of gardening equipment to the 12 participating families. The equipment enabled the families to establish and develop their food gardens.
As part of the project, all participating families received training from the Umthathi Training Project. The training provided families with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to establish, maintain and manage their food gardens. The training was successfully completed, and the participating families responded positively to the programme.
Progress and Outcomes
The project has shown encouraging progress since its implementation. The participating families have successfully established food gardens and are producing good-quality produce for household consumption. The gardens have provided families with access to fresh produce while creating opportunities for greater self-reliance.
The project has received positive feedback from participating families, who have expressed their appreciation for the support, equipment and training provided. Its success has also generated interest from other families in the community who would like to participate in the programme.
Impact of the Project
The Food Gardening Project has made a meaningful contribution to the lives of the participating families. By enabling families to grow their own food, the project has contributed towards improved food security and helped reduce some of the financial pressure associated with purchasing food.
The project has also equipped families with practical gardening skills that can be sustained beyond the duration of the programme. The positive feedback from beneficiaries and the interest expressed by other community members demonstrate the potential for the project to be expanded to reach more disadvantaged households.
The Food Gardening Project has been successfully implemented, with positive outcomes for the 12 participating families. The combination of gardening equipment, practical training and ongoing support has enabled families to establish productive food gardens and improve their household food security.
The positive feedback received from beneficiaries and the growing interest from other families indicate that the project is making a valuable contribution towards poverty alleviation and community empowerment. Continued support and the possible expansion of the project would allow more disadvantaged families to benefit from food gardening and improve their livelihoods.
