Page 99 - SCAT Rural Voice II - 35 Stories for 35 Years

ZANONCEDO
EmpOwErmENT CENTrE
Tsholomnqa (Chalumna) is a rural village 37km from East London and 20.4 km from Kayser’s Beach which falls under the Buffalo City municipality in the Eastern Cape. Tsholomnqa (Chalumna) village lies on both sides of the R72 and Census 2011 divides it into Chalumna A which has 526 residents (98 % who identify as Black African and 96% who speak isiXhosa).1 and Chalumna B consisting of 158 people, 100 % who identify as Black African, 97% of whom speak isiXhosa2. The village is named after the Tsholomnqa River which is approximately 78km long, forming at the confluence of two small rivers, the Qugwala in the West and the Mtyolo in the East. It empties into the Indian Ocean through an estuary near Kayser’s Beach. The Tsholomnqa River formed the northern border of the former Ciskei shoreline until 27 April 1994 when all the apartheid era political regions were reincorporated into South Africa.3
The Zanoncedo Empowerment Centre is 39.8km from East London in the Mpongo location, Tsholomnqa just off the R72. The organisation currently provides HIV and other chronic diseases awareness and home-based care programmes, food gardening projects, after school programmes, bead work, youth sexual reproductive health and life skills projects, gender-based violence sensitisation workshops and a Youth Bank programme.
Zanoncedo started with only five volunteers in 2012 who selflessly dedicated their time, walking long distances to serve the community. In 2014 the numbers of volunteers grew to twenty-five and the first funding was received from SCAT in 2015 for administration which opened more doors. Teen pregnancies have been reduced as the number of young people accessing family planning and condoms increased. Zanoncedo’s home based care and health campaigns also led to a decline in treatment default rates.
1. Frith, A. (2019). Census 2011: Main Place: Chalumna A. Retrieved October 12, 2019, from census2011.adrianfrith.com website: https://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/260155
2. Frith, A. (2019). Census 2011: Sub Place: Chalumna B SP. Retrieved October 12, 2019, from census website: https:// census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/260168001
3. Chalumna River | Revolvy. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2019, from https://www.revolvy.com/page/Chalumna-River
FAST faCts
NaMe: Zanoncedo Empowerment Centre
LeD By: Mandisa Dukashe
MaiN CHaLLeNGes faCeD By tHe CoMMUNity: high alcohol and drug abuse, theft, teenage pregnancy, neglected/abused children, unemployed youth, chronic disease treatment default and poverty.
MaiN aCtiVities: home-based care; after care, youth homework and computer skills assistance, food gardening and YouthBank.
aDDress: Mpongo Location, Mazizini District
CoNtaCt: Cell: 081 898 9878
Email: mandisa.dukashe@zanoncedo.org
YOUTH
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