Page 74 - SCAT Rural Voice II - 35 Stories for 35 Years

Gender
cAre
(COMMUNITY ATTEMPT REACHING EMPOWERMENT) ALICEDALE
Alicedale, nestled on the embankment of the Bushman’s river is a small, remote village in the eastern Cape about 40km from Grahamstown. The town is situated on a railway junction on the main railway line between Port elizabeth which is 100km away and Johannesburg which is 993km away. The town was named after Alice Slessor, the wife of the engineer in charge of constructing the railway line.1 According to the last population census in 20112, Alicedale has 3 872 residents, 51% who speak isiXhosa and 43% who speak Afrikaans.
CAre Alicedale is a thriving local development agency which supports abused women and children through their victim empowerment programme. In addition, CAre runs a weekly feeding scheme using produce from their gardening and poultry project. The food security programme provides income for a dozen locals who grow the vegetables in their own gardens. CAre’s crèche for up to 50 children is a hive of activity. The home- based care programme, which provides care for community members with HIV/Aids also provides income for these carers.
The LdA approached the internationally renowned luxury Shamwari Game reserve, which is 37km away from Alicedale to fund some of their community projects. This has led to the game reserve bringing students and other international tourists to visit the project and offer support.
1. Raper, P. E. (1989). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Jonathan Ball Publishers. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-947464-04-2 – via Internet Archive.
2. Frith, A. (2011). Census 2011: Main Place: Alicedale. retrieved October 2, 2019, from https://census2011.adrianfrith.com/ place/264005
FAst FACTS
NaMe: CAre (Community Attempt reaching empowerment) Alicedale
LeD By: Phumla Gojela
MaiN CHaLLeNGes faCeD By tHe CoMMUNity: unemployment, poverty, school dropouts, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, alcoholism, substance-abuse MaiN aCtiVities: Counselling of GBV survivors; advocacy for gender equality; beadwork; Youth bank; communal food gardens
aDDress: 10 nkula Street, Kwanonzwakikazi Location, Alicedale
CoNtaCt: Cell: 073 280 5599
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