Page 61 - SCAT Rural Voice II - 35 Stories for 35 Years

SUSTAINING OURSELVES
tHRouGH SelF-SuFFIcIencY
Jeanette Mqomo (Project Manager). Kgatelopele Social Development Forum (KSDF) office wall. Front row - Irene Franse, Jeanette Mqomo, Bernadine Strauss, Sophia Booysen, Elizabeth
Baum, Back row - Joey Ramohlobi, Frans Marwaane, Yolandy Lebenberg, Hlompo Smith.
jEANNETTE MQOMO WRITES ABOUT LESSONS SHE HAS LEARNT TO ENSURE COMMUNITIES TAKE OWNERSHIP OF SOLUTIONS TO THEIR PROBLEMS.
I was born in a small town called Danielskuil in the northern Cape. Our town has a high rate of unemployment and poverty with most people dependent on social grants. I finished my matric in 1996 at Kuilsville senior secondary school in Danielskuil. I am a person who likes helping other people, sharing clothes with those in need. I would go to other communities who are more fortunate and ask them to donate clothing that they don’t wear to the community in need. I also like helping children who are in need and motivate them to attend school so that they can be able to be better people in future with good qualifications and professions.
In 2007 I started volunteering in my community and assisting community members who were affected by HIV and AIDS. A group of women were trained in home based care in order to provide support and care to those who are in need by the Kgatelopele Social Development Forum (KSDF). I was eventually hired to do administration for the organisation. In 2008 the Department of Social Development funded KSDF based on the need that was rising in our community. Many children in the community were orphans who were vulnerable. Some children didn’t attend school as they were complaining of hunger. The feeding scheme was opened to the community to access food. As our community members were fed at the feeding scheme, we found that it would be good if we could start home food gardens and communal gardens for social grant beneficiaries.
In 2009 KSDF became fortunate to be part of SCAT which played a big role in providing KSDF with developmental skills. They provided training on food gardens, mentoring of staff, time management skills, Human resources and fundraising. The communal food garden did very well and we managed to produce and sell vegetables to our OK foods local store and in the community.
JeAnnette MqoMo
RuRal Voice ii: 35 stories for 35 years
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FOOD seCUrity