In our hands. Advice from community development projects in the Eastern Cape, South Africa by rentia ellis

In our hands Advice from community development projects in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

IN OUR HANDS: ADVICE FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA First published in 2010 by the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition (ECNGOC) in association with the Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council (ECSECC) Postnet 227, Private Bag X9063, East London, South Africa, 5200 Copyright ÂŠ Eastern Cape NGO Coalition 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers. COPYRIGHT: ECSECC, 2010

ISBN 978-0-620-47001-8

Disclaimer: The inclusion of projects in this book should in no way imply the endorsement of ECSECC or the ECNGOC for the project or its implementing organisation. The views and advice expressed here are those of the project members interviewed. They are not necessarily shared by ECSECC or ECNGOC. All photographs, unless otherwise stated, are by Buhle Makabane and Shona Jennings of the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition. Content sourced and edited by Buhle Makabane and Shona Jennings for the ECNGOC. Overall Management: Duduzile Radebe (Programmes Manager). Isi-Xhosa translators: Lucky Malgas and Zukiswa Pakama. Sub-editor: Shamin Chibba. Design: Rentia Ellis Workshop12. 083 381 2580 Printed by Remata 011 848 0000 On the cover: Nokwenela Yeko, Boniswa Mbulawa and Mamtolo Sokoyi from Masakhane Project, Libode.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to all the people featured in this book, who gave so willingly of their time, stories and advice. The Eastern Cape NGO Coalition would also like to thank the Eastern Cape Council of Churches, the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, Ru-Liv and Ikhala Trust for suggesting some of the projects and putting us in touch with relevant people. The book would not have happened without the support of ECSECC and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government Office of the Premier, who recognise the value of sharing lessons between projects. Thank you to Mziwamadoda Titimane, Vuyisa Dayile and Andrew Murray who have provided support for the ECNGOC and the Premierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Poverty Alleviation Fund. We would also like to acknowledge personnel support received through New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volunteer Service Abroad.

If there is one clear message ECNGOC has taken from the interviews with the 17 organisations represented in this book, it is this:

"You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. Enthusiasm is the spark in your eye, the swing in your gait, the grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of your will and your energy to execute your ideas. Enthusiasts are fighters, they have fortitude, they have strong qualities. Enthusiasm is at the bottom of all progress. With it there is accomplishment. Without it there are only alibis." Henry Ford

Eastern Cape Province Note: the following organisations were not included on the map due to the absence of their locations: Masiphakame (p23) Nqabara (p27) Menjine (p65) Masihlume MaBhele (p73) Nomzamo (p97) Ubuntu p 84

Impumelelo p 36 Temba p 57 Masakhane p 69 Muchubeni p 46

Tshwaranang p 39 Sinikuthando p 88 Ikhwezi p 43 Imvomvo p 103

Mawethu Sewing Group p 19 WAWA p 33 Emmanuel Haven p 77 Community Health & Welfare p 92

Map supplied by ECSECC

Numbers on the map relate to the page numbers on which projects from these locations feature. vii

viii x xi xii

PEOPLE EARNING A LIVING

Vukuzenzele â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just do it! Seize opportunities Forge unity Work to a plan Follow your dream Consult the community Think it through Be committed

19 23 27 33 36 39 43 46

PEOPLE GROWING FOOD

Keep on learning Gardening terms First theory, then practice Find markets, meet demands Respect traditional channels Reward hard work

57 60 65 69 73 77

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

Stick to your vision Believe in what you do Record and report Use your imagination Grow better everyday

84 88 92 97 103

Yes we can! Read it in isi-Xhosa Contacts

108 110 118

USEFUL EXTRAS How to do a SWOT analysis What is an Annual Plan? Unity, ubuntu and social capital A word on marketing Getting the community involved What does accountability mean? What to include in a constitution Want to setup a community garden?

viii

20 28 29 35 41 45 50 63

Contents

Eastern Cape Map Message from the ECNGOC Chairperson Message from the Premier Introduction

Message from the ECNGOC Chairperson

ince 2005, the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition has been implementing the Premierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Poverty Alleviation Fund, targeted at community projects across the province. A number of other civil society organisations have done similar work at a local level. We believe that after 5 five years of doing this important work, we should pause and reflect on progress made and possible lessons to draw from our diverse experiences. To achieve this reflection, we used stories from these projects, collected from organisations across the province.

These contributions should be properly valued so that a communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment is not underestimated. To make sure that the NGOs involved in these projects continue to play a key role in delivering services, continued support from partners and funders as well as determination and commitment from these project leaders is needed. More efforts need to be made, wherever possible, to bring on board strategic partners and service providers that can support these organisations. I would like to sincerely thank all our stakeholders, donors and others who have contributed to the projects featured in this book. Whether your efforts were substantial or minimal, it helped in changing lives.

The period in which these stories were captured was a very tough one for many organisations and some project implementers that have told their stories in this book. Many of these organisations continue to struggle with issues of sustainability, especially as funding continues to dwindle and funding patterns change. In spite of all these challenges, they continue to do amazing work.

David Boyce Claassen

Chairperson, Eastern Cape NGO Coalition

Message from the Premier

outh Africa is a country that has a strong oral tradition. Much of our history, ancestral stories and life lessons are taught to us through the power of verbal communication. We value these teachings because they come from the voices of people we respect. They are also grounded in the realities of life. They go beyond the theory of instruction and make meaningful connections with how we live and what we believe in.

As our call to all sectors of community to make a contribution towards the development of South Africa gathers momentum, it is encouraging to see that not all projects on these pages have been supported by this office. A range of government, private sector and non-governmental agencies have assisted with funding, training or project support. This is exactly what we want to see – people working together, combining their assets to accomplish outcomes that work towards a strong vision and a sustainable better life for all.

This book records the advice given by participants in a range of different community development projects in the Eastern Cape. The advice has been given with a great deal of reflection and honesty. The words of the project participants speak to people who have an idea or a vision, showing them what they can achieve when passion, enthusiasm and a little bit of help are put behind their efforts.

What is clear is that the emphasis is on a leg-up, not a handout. When placed alongside the drive of individuals and communities wishing to lead their own development, small amounts can achieve much. The book clearly shows that government, NGOs and communities can work together. I commend all those who feature here and hope that their lessons may encourage and benefit others striving towards the development of our beautiful Eastern Cape Province.

I am proud that, for many of the projects featured in this book, there is a “little bit of help” that has come from the Office of the Premier. The Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund, which has since transformed into Premier’s Priority Projects, was an initiative of this department. It focuses on providing funding for various shorter term special projects linked to the socio-economic priorities of the province.

Ms Noxolo Kiviet

Premier of the Eastern Cape Province

Introduction

than R800 a month. Forty-five percent receive no income at all (PGDP Progress Report, 2009).

very week, a development project starts up somewhere in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Lessons from these projects are seldom captured and passed on. This book aims to give such typical community-driven projects the opportunity to pass on advice that they believe will be of value to others wishing to start projects of their own. Not all the projects featured in this book can claim to be successful in conventional terms. People involved in the projects still struggle and some of the projects featured may not survive, whether from economic, social or political pressures. But the value of their contribution is in their enthusiasm and in their down-to-earth, honest advice. The book also expands some of the advice they offer, to provide reference tools for other individuals and communities wanting to start similar projects. The Eastern Cape Province is home to some 6.9 million people. Around 4.3 million of this number lives in poverty, receiving less xi

Government alone cannot address all the problems identified in communities. Civil society must actively contribute. Non-profit organisations, as part of civil society, play a key role in poverty alleviation, largely due to their passion, commitment and vision. They are also known for the innovative approaches they develop to address problems in their communities. The Department of Social Development claims to have 4,820 registered non-governmental, community-based and faith-based organisations in the Eastern Cape, but there are many more involved at a grass-roots level that have not formally registered (The State of NPO Registration in South Africa, July 2009). We applaud the efforts of the people behind these organisations – those who have rolled up their sleeves and got on with the process of ‘development’. You will meet such individuals in this book. The Eastern Cape Provincial Growth and Development Plan lists food security as an important strategy for the seven out of ten people living in poverty. A family that can feed themselves with healthy, nutritional food

impacts on an individual’s health and children’s ability to learn. Food security leads to the general well-being of communities. Because of this, you will see an emphasis on food security projects in this book. While the concept (helping people to feed themselves) seems straight-forward, the stories in this book will prove that it is not. Access to water is one of the main limiting factors many rural communities in the Eastern Cape encounter. Keeping people’s commitment to gardening alive is also a problem, particularly when people don’t reap significant rewards for their efforts. Another emphasis in this book is on income generation. It is evident from the stories in this book that passion and enthusiasm for the work is one of the most important contributors to the success of income generation projects. Just as important is having good business strategies, knowing that there is a market for the products and services, and developing clear and honest book-keeping practices, while giving thought to proper profit, loss and investment management.

people working with orphans and vulnerable children, the early childhood educators, and those feeding the hungry. Admirable work is being done in the Eastern Cape and most of it on a voluntary basis. The projects featured here come mainly, but not exclusively, through the Eastern Cape Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund, administered by the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches, and the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition. Others come from Ru-Liv and Ikhala Trust, or they are simply projects that have caught our eye. We would like to thank all those people who took time to tell us about their projects and share their advice. Generally, we met with many members of the organisation at once, and while the stories are presented as one voice, they are the contributions of many. We hope their advice contributes to efforts being made to eradicate poverty in the Eastern Cape.

Margaret Kusambiza

We have also devoted space to the excellent work being done by civil society organisations that are providing social services to communities – the home-based carers,

Director, Eastern Cape NGO Coalition (Isi-Xhosa, page 110)

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People earning a living 14

PEOPLE EARNING A LIVING

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” Nelson Mandela

ith only 34 percent of the province’s 4.3 million poor able to access grants, it is essential for many families’ survival that at least one family member brings in a regular income. Historically, for people living rurally, this has meant at least one key family member leaving their home to find work, often in the mines or in domestic service. This distortion of

family life leads to a raft of social problems that extends beyond the nuclear family to whole communities. People leaving their rural homes to find work in larger centres also places a strain on cities. Emigrants often end up living in informal settlements, placing added stress on already under-serviced communities. When they

can’t find work, some have no choice but to resort to crime or prostitution to survive. For all these reasons, finding ways for people to earn a living in their own communities is not only important for the people and families concerned, but important for the safe and healthy functioning of society and the future of South Africa.

lot of meetings were taking place in our area eight or nine years ago. But all the discussions seemed to end in holes – nothing ever materialised. I was tired of going to meeting after meeting with nothing happening at the end, and so, inspired by President Thabo Mbeki’s ‘vukuzenzele’ speech, I approached other ladies who had an interest in sewing. We met in a garage to plan how we could set up a sewing group. We knew what we wanted to achieve and that we had to get out of our houses. We were unemployed and not doing anything. We decided to stand up and do something for ourselves. A group of 15 of us started in February 2002. We received training on how to sew from the Department of Labour. Then in 2005 the Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches gave us some funding through the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund to buy equipment to set ourselves up. They also supported us by giving us different training – for instance, in project management and finances. They said, “Here’s a cow. Now go and milk it for yourselves. With the milk, feed the calf and keep the cow growing”. And we have milked that cow! But we used the money in the right way, because we were told that when money is given to you it has to be used for the purposes it was given, not for your own purposes. We have always been mindful of that. Some of the women involved left us early on in the project because when we started, we were not

earning any money. We tried to explain that we can’t expect money at the beginning. Currently there are only four of us, and we are now selfsufficient. We pay ourselves a stipend each month and save anything else we make until the end of the year, when we split it. We run two accounts: every month we cut our profits – half goes to the Super Saver (our business account), the other to the 32-day account (our savings account). One of our group looks after the accounts and keeps good records, which is important. We are fortunate in our group because we trust each other. You can’t do anything without trust. Every one of us shows commitment. We sacrifice our time for our work but our families understand. We realise there are challenges and we are prepared for that. When someone does something wrong or is not seen to be okay with something, we talk to that person and try to come up with solutions. Our belief is that when you have been given an opportunity you should grab it and do it to the best of your ability because that can lead to other opportunities. Our advice to other women is that you must love what you do. Don’t just say, “I want to sew”. You can’t do that. You must love it. The women that started with us and left didn’t love sewing. If you want something, you must love that thing and dedicate yourself to it.”

Vukuzenzele - just do it!

The Mawethu Sewing Group operate out of a customised container in the grounds of the Zwide Municipal grounds in Port Elizabeth. The group has received funding from the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund through the Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches. They have also had support from their local ward councillor and the Department of Social Services.

How to do a SWOT Analysis

u h t e w a M ing Sew ct e j o r P

One exercise the Mawethu Sewing Project did was to carry out a SWOT analysis. It can help you identify what your organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strengths are, and what you love to do.Mawethuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SWOT analysis hangs on their noticeboard.

A SWOT Analysis can help you identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats in your project. You can conduct a SWOT analysis regularly to help spot opportunities or changes you might need to prepare for. Conducting a regular SWOT analysis also helps you see where your organisation or project has weaknesses and helps you anticipate how to deal with issues that might threaten your success. When you think of Strengths and Weaknesses, look critically at what is happening within the project. For Opportunities and Threats, cast your mind to factors outside the project that might have an influence on its success or failure. Some questions to think about include: STRENGTHS What does your organisation/project do really well? What assets do you have that can be drawn upon to help your organisation/ project? What strengths do you have that will make this organisation/project succeed? OPPORTUNITIES Are there any trends/opportunities you can see, that your organisation/project may be able to take advantage of?

Isi-Xhosa, page 111

WEAKNESSES What weaknesses do you have within the organisation/project that might cause it to fail? What could you improve? What would people looking in from outside your organisation/project see as your weakness? THREATS What problems or obstacles do you foresee? What changes or challenges can you see happening outside the organisation/ project that might affect its success?

Vukuzenzele Emveni kokukhuthazwa yintetho ka Mongameli u Thabo Mbeki eyayiphakamisa uVukuzenzele, amakhosikazi ayi 14 aseBhayi eZwide azenzela ilinge lokuthunga ekuthiwa yi Mawethu Sewing Group. “Bekusemva kweminyaka esibhozo okanye elithoba edlulileyo xa kwingingqi yethu kwakusoloko kubanjwa iintlanganiso. Kodwa zonke ezintlangano bezingade zize nanto. Ndandisele ndanele kukuhamba iintlanganiso ze kungaqhubeki nto emva koko. Ndaye ndakhuthazwa ke yintetho kamongameli uThabo Mbeki ephakamisa u ‘vukuzenzele’. Ndakhangela amanye amanenekazi awayenomdla ekuthungeni. Saye ke sahlanganela kwenye igaraji siceba ukuba sizakuqalisa njani ukuthunga. Sasiyazi into esiyifunayo. Sasisazi isizathu esingundoqo sokuba siphume ezindlwini zethu. Sasingaphangeli kwaye kungekho enye into esiyenzayo, saze sagqiba kwelo kuba siphakame senze into. Ukusukela ngo February 2002 ukusekwa kwawo lombutho , amanye amalungu amane ukuguzuka kwade kwashiyeka amane kuphela. Ekuqaleni babengamnkeli mali kwaye leyo yaba yimpembelelo yokumnka kwamanye amalungu, kodwa ngoku bane account zokugcina imali ezimbini ebhankini. “Sivule ii-akhawunti zebhanki ezimbini. Nyanga-zonke siyayahlula ingeniso yethu-isiqingatha siya kwi Super Saver (i-akhawunti yethu yeshishini) Enye size siyise kwi akhawunti yeentsuku ezingamashumi amathathu anesibini (Le yi-akhawunti yethu yokonga). Omnye wamalungu nguye oqwalasela ukugcinwa kakuhle kweencwadi zengxelo ngee-akhawunti zethu, kubalulekile kakhulu ke oko”.

• Love what you do and dedicate yourself to it. • Use money for the purpose it’s been given. • Trust one another.

Top, from left to right, Mawethu Sewing Project members Evelyn Ntsetha, Thembeka Norani and Nobubele Mzozoyana. Absent: Mbokazi Ndlebe.

The Masiphakame Women’s Sewing Project is at Ngxingxolo Location in Mooiplaas. The group has received funding from the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund through the Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches, and support from the Department of Labour and People Development Trust. The chicken project was supported by the Department of Social Development.

We also realised we needed to improve our skills, so we approached the Department of Labour for training. We were trained in garment making and in sewing school uniforms. Amongst us there were others who had beading skills, so some in the group focused on traditional attire. This gave us enough products to be able to spread our markets. However, even then we still didn’t have all the resources we needed. Then the late Reverend Welile Sigabi suggested we should submit an application to the Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches. After we were assessed by them, our application was approved. We were then granted a sum of R50,000 from the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund. Before we were given the money the Council of Churches trained us in project and financial management. We were told clearly that the money

should be spent on project equipment or material, according to our request. We bought sewing machines, material, irons, sewing tables and some carpet for our floor. The skills that we received from the training helped us a lot. By this stage, many of the people who were involved at the beginning of the project got tired and left because they were expecting monthly stipends. As it is now, we don’t take stipends every month, only when we have enough money coming in. It is important not to put money first – you must be dedicated to the project and be patient. Now, there are only four of us in the group. Our dream is to take this project to a higher level where one day we can employ other people in our community. Last year we decided to add another project to what we do so that we can raise more money to follow our dream. We applied to Social Development and now have facilities to raise chickens and open an abetoir. There are teething problems with the project, mainly because we have not been given training yet in poultry rearing. But we are hoping to get training soon. The chickens work well with the sewing because we have both projects in the same piece of fenced land. We deal with the chickens in the morning before we start sewing or we take turns to look after the chickens.

Seize opportunities

hen the project started in 2002 there were 13 ladies involved. We borrowed four sewing machines from within the community and began sewing simple things, like aprons, because our sewing skills were very basic. Then in 2004, a government official came and asked if there were any projects in the area that needed support. We asked for help to get more machines as well as overlockers and material. When we received that money, our lives changed.

Masiphakame Women’s Sewing Project

Whenever there are problems either within the project or with project members, it is important to sit down, listen to the problem and weigh up the situation. We respect that if one of us is angry about something, the others need to be calm. We make sure that whoever is in the wrong apologises to the others. We believe that our project business should be kept to ourselves – we respect confidentiality.

• Don’t put money first. Be patient. • Discuss how to deal with problems within the group before they arise. • Do not be afraid to start other projects alongside what you are already doing, as long as one does not detract from the success of the other.

Above: Standing in front of the container used as a sewing room are (from left to right) Nokaloku Sonqwelo (treasurer), Ntombizanele Gwabiso, Tamutwa Tanaboti and Nosakhe Bizani (Chairperson).

Wathabathe amathuba aza ngakuwe Eli qumrhu lo mama lokuthunga laziwa njenge Masiphakame lise Ngxingxolo, eMooiplaas. Elilinge elaqalwa ngamakhosikazi ayi 13. La makhosikazi aqala ngokuboleka omatshini bokuthunga ekuhlaleni ethunga izinto ezingenamsebenzi. Baye bancediswa ngamaziko â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ngamaziko bade banezinto zabo. Bancediswe nangoqeqesho kwezomthungo nakwezinye izinto zokukhulisa ilinge labo ezinje ngo gcinoncwadi (bookkeeping) noku lawula ilinge kakuhle (Project management). Amanye amalungu aye adinwa kukungafumani mali alishiya elilinge , kungoku nje inani labo lehla layakutsho kubantu abane. Abo baseleyo baye bazixelela bazukuthatha ilinge labo balibeke kwinqanaba eliphezulu kwaye abazukukhokhelisa imali phambili. Kulonyaka uphelileyo baqalise elinye ilinge lokukhulisa inkukhu abalayamise kweli lokuthunga. Neli ilinge litsha liyazama-zama ebunzimeni kuba basalinde ithuba lokuqeqeshwa kulo.

The Nqabara Community-Based Natural Resource Management Trust in Mbashe Municipality started in 2003 and has two main projects: a medicinal plant and vegetable garden and a craft project. However the Trust also acts as an umbrella organisation for a number of other initiatives, including a wood lot, pineapple farm, dairy and bakery. It is supported by Ru-Liv.

Forge unity

hen you start a project, the first thing you need to preach is unity amongst the members. It is better to have teething problems sorted out before you actually get to the project implementation. It means that you will be in control when the project happens and things will go smoothly. Also, funders do not like it when people are not united. Unity is very important. We are a big group. The way we manage our size is to have an annual plan and all the people involved in the project have clear responsibilities. And the people working in different communities report timeously to the Trust about their work. We have learnt to respect each other. We do not have enough money for a stipend, but the aim of trust is to develop the people of Nqabara. It is working.

From left to right: Trust members Atwell Mbutho Sidloya, Captain Xhayi (chairperson), Ncedo Somdaka, Hubert Mbinda and Matemba Mniki.

Yakha imvisiswano Iingcali kwezophuhliso-ngakumbi abanikisi ngemali bathetha ngokubaluleka kwemvisiswano ukuze kubekho uphuhliso olululo. Zikwaqinisekisa ukuba imvisiswano ekuhlaleni yeyona nto ingundoqo ekuphumeleleni kwelinge lase kuhlaleni. Umanyano yenye yezinto ezidibanisa iNqabarha CommunityBased Natural Resource Management Trust . Lo mbutho wenziwe ngamalinge aliqela asuka kwilali ezahlukeneyo kwisithili saseNqabarha, kuMasipala woMbashe. Bathi baninzi kakhulu kodwa into ebabambileyo lumanyano. Ngaphambi kokuba iphulo libe liqaliwe, amalungu aqale ngokuhlengahlengisa ingxaki zawo, lento ke ibenze bakwazi ukuba nenjongo ezicacileyo zombutho, umntu ngamnye azazi izinto ezixhomekeke kuye,banesicwangciso sonyaka (year plan) kwaye bayahloniphana.

Above: Nosimo Mabusela, Deputy chairperson

What is an Annual Plan? (Isi-Xhosa, page 112).

• Forge unity and respect one another. • Work to an annual plan. • Have clear responsibilities.

n Annual Plan states the objectives for the year ahead and the strategy that will be used to achieve those objectives. It also looks at the income and costs of the project, as well as any internal or external problems that may have an impact on successfully meeting the objectives. Good Annual Plans specify deadlines for each task and who is responsible for the work.

“A small group is in the unit of transformation” Author unknown

Unity, ubuntu and social capital

(Isi-Xhosa, page 112)

evelopment experts – especially funders – talk about the importance of ‘social capital’ in development. In fact, they consider social capital as vital to the success of a community project.

Social capital refers to the amount of goodwill, trust and co-operation in the community or group involved in the project. In South Africa, the concept of ubuntu embodies social capital, as does the term “umntu ngumntu ngabantu” – I am because you are, or a person is a person through other people. Social capital has an impact on people’s obligations and expectations, and the way they communicate with one another and share information. Donors often assess the amount of trust and co-operation as an indication of a project’s sustainability because it means that the project is more efficient and equitable and has a greater capacity to solve problems collectively. Communities that exhibit good social capital can often trace it to relationships within and between families and neighbours (bonding social capital). Bridging social capital refers to the links and trust relationships formed with people from outside the family or community (the partners) who assist in development. It has been shown that the incomes of households in a community where there is a high degree of social capital are higher than in communities where there are low levels of social capital.

As a community or project, it is important not to simply think of building financial capital. It is also important to think about how to build social capital.

WAWA – or Women Against Women Abuse – is based in Port Elizabeth. They have received funding from the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund through the Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches and support from the Department of Social Development. They look for sustainable ways to source funding while empowering women by running a number of small business projects alongside an extensive soup kitchen.

WAWA runs a series of different workshops: understanding abuse, domestic abuse and humans rights. We teach them how to use protection orders, where to use them and how they are helpful to them if used the right way. Then we look at the initial cause of the problem. Was it economic abuse? Physical abuse? Emotional abuse? Then it’s important to try and involve woman in economic upliftment. But the thing is, you can’t just engage in economic activity – you need skills. The idea of forming four groups to support each other and work together on economic development came out of my research which showed that when you are a victim, when you are not supported, you become Miss Nobody. But having women around you, sharing the same experience, you feel there’s something building up inside you. You feel you’re not alone in this boat. There are other women listening and relating to your story. The idea of the support group is that while women are gaining strength, their circumstances will also be uplifted and

eventually their dignity will be restored. Not all the women involved in the programme have been directly affected by domestic violence, but they have been through one of our programmes. We have three projects: Sophemalela, which does sewing, beading and candle-making. Then we have the Single Parents Association – a group of women working on a cleaning project. The other is the Phambili Makhosikazi screenprinting project. We also have a fourth project which the women from the other three projects also get involved in. It is the soup kitchen which provides vegetable soup and bread for TB patients. One of the main reasons people don’t take treatment for TB is that they can’t do it on an empty stomach. We put the soup in drums and deliver it on the back of our bakkie to 24 clinics in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. We use the WAWA Support Group participants as supervisors in the project. This is tremendously self-empowering for women who come from abusive backgrounds. In total we have 86 people engaged in the soup kitchen project and all the women get a stipend from us. After working in the soup kitchens in the morning, the women move to one of the other three projects. Out of the income made there they take 90% for them to share amongst themselves and bank 10% for sustainability.

Work to a plan

awa’s core business is working with abuse victims, supporting and caring for them, acting as advocates, and helping to empower them. But healing women who have been victims of abuse is not just a physical thing, you must also help them to heal emotionally.

Sebenza ngokwesicwangciso I Women Against Women Abuse, (iWAWA ngamafutshane) ngumbutho ochasene nokuhlukunyezwa koomama- omiselwe eBhayi. IWAWA ixhasa yaye inakekele amaxhoba ohlukumezo. Lombutho ufundisa abantu ngamalungelo abo,ubaxhobisa ukuba baqonde kabanzi uhlukunyezo kwakunye nemithetho enqanda uhlukumezo. i-Wawa ke le iqhuba amaphulo amaninzi okufundisa: • Ukuqonda xa uhlukunyezwa • Uhlukumezo ekhaya • Amalungelo akho • Nangokhuseleko lwasemthethweni-ukuba lusetyenziswa njani, lusetyenziswa phi kwaye lungaba luncedo njani kubo xa lusetyenziswe ngendlela eyiyo. Ngokuxhotyiswa luphando olwathi lwenziwa,lo mbutho wasekela amaqela amane kumaxhoba ohlukumezo. La maqela anikana amandla azame nokubuyisela isidima sabo kuwo . Akwenza oku ngokuxhasana , bathathe inxaxheba kwezomnotho babuye bathathe inxaxheba ekuhlaleni. Asingawo onke amakhosikazi akulo mbutho athe abangamxhoba okuxhatshazwa ngokuthe ngqo, kodwa bambi bakwezinye iprojekthi zethu. Eli linge lineprojekthi ezintathu: I-Sophumelela, yona yenza umthungo, ihlohla intsimbi ze kwenziwe namakhandlela. Kuphinde kube ne Single Parents Association-ngumbutho womama lo abasebenza kwiphulo lokucoca. Enye ngumbutho we Screenprinting ekuthiwa yiPhambili Makhosikazi kunye ne projekthi yesuphu ethi ihambiselwe kwikliniki ezingama 24 kuyo yonke ingingqi ye Nelson Mandela Metropole.

Eli linge lifumene inkxaso mali kwisebe le Ofisi ye Nkulumbuso yephondo Lempuma Koloni elilwa nendlala elaziwa ngokuba yi Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), bekwaxhaswa nalisebe lezophuhliso ntlalo.

WAWA Director Nontobeko Fosilara with members of the Phambili Makhosikazi Screenprinting project.

• Do your research! • Have a clear plan. • Check there’s a need for your products & services.

My advice to anyone else starting a similar project is that they need to know what they want to achieve at the end of the day. What are their objectives, and how are they going to make it happen? This means there has to be a plan that talks to their objectives and their region. If they don’t have that they have to do more research. You cannot embark on a project without doing research. For instance everyone is doing sewing, but you can be creative and make something no one else is making. So my other piece of advice is to find and develop a market. For instance, with the sewing project, you have to take the samples to businesses and government departments and say, “This is my sample. Why don’t you buy it as something outstanding for your department?” You have to be creative and do proper groundwork. Don’t just say, “I want a shop”, and then open one. Do your research and know that you have a market.

The Department of Social Development often run training in product development, marketing and project management.

A word on Marketing (Isi-xhosa, page 112) Suppose your community/project decides it wants to make a particular product, you first need to ask, “Will anyone buy it?” If there is no one to buy the product, the project will not make money no matter how much hard work you put into it. This means the first step of any project is research. Ask: if we make/grow/provide this product or service, who will buy it, how much or how often will they buy it, and what will they pay for it? You also need

to think about how the product will reach the buyer and what the cost will be to get it there. It is also important to consider your competitors – is anyone else producing this product, and if so, why would people buy your product over theirs? Conduct the research with the right people (not just friends or acquaintances) and be critical of the information you gather (the key is to be realistic, not overly optimistic).

Follow your dream

Lusikisiki is acknowledged as one of the poorest and most densely-populated rural areas of South Africa. There is little work for the 150,000 people who live there. The Impumelelo Skills Development Project was developed in association with the Lusikisiki Paralegal Advice Centre. Start-up funding was provided by the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund through the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition.

here are many youth in Lusikisiki who passed matric and are doing nothing. I was one of them. I sat my matric in 2007, so between now and then I have not done anything useful. I got some jobs to keep myself busy; jobs that can pay me a very, very small amount. I had no choice but to stay in Lusikisiki when I left school because I couldn’t afford to go to university and continue with my studies. I wasn’t disappointed. I was expecting it to happen. My family could not afford to send me to a tertiary institution. There was no other way.

think there is any competition because we are pulling as one force in one direction. If they are doing great, that’s my pleasure, and if they are not doing great, I hope that they are proud of me. I think that if this project of ours can grow, maybe we can sit down and plan and discuss what we want to do individually. If someone wants to go out and do something on their own, we can say, “You are great, go out and do your thing”. If our project develops, someone might say “I think I’ve done enough here. Now I want to go and try something outside”.

The lead organisation for the project is the Lusikisiki Paralegal Advice Centre. Their goal was to train ten young people aged 1835 in leatherwork skills. This entailed finding a building, buying machines, securing leatherwork tools and buying leather. A local trainer was found to pass on his skills to the group, and has continued to provide not only training support, but also assistance with tools and machinery. I was interested and got involved from the planning meeting up until now. I want to put all my effort into this project and learn new skills. When we finish here my colleagues and I will have been trained to the same level. I don’t

Far right: Henry Mkhalali, and above: other members of the Impumelelo project.

Learn with all your effort.

As we are a small project, our main target is to make sure that the youth around here gain skills so we can grow this project. We hope it will open doors for other people, not only for us. My dreams for the future have changed now that I am in this project. I see me and my colleagues in a big project; in a big family, where we are producing leather that is of very good quality. And I am thinking that, maybe, I can be one of the people who are not sewing but helping to manage the project’s expansion. As it grows, we can sell our products to the big shops – maybe even the world!

Landela iphupha lakho ILusikisiki esemaphandleni aseMpuma-Koloni, kwindawo eyayifudula isaziwa ngokuba yi-Transkei yaziwa njengeyona ndawo exineneyo , ethwaxwa yintlupheko, inqongophele imisebenzi kwaba bantu bangama 150 000 abahlala apha. Impumelelo Skills Development Project liphulo elaqalwa yi Lusikisiki Paralegal Advice Center kunye namanye amalungu e- Eastern Cape NGO Coalition. Inkxaso yemali yokuqalisa le projekthi bayifumana kwiSebe le – Ofisi yeNkulumbuso yePhondo Lempuma Koloni elilwa nendlala. Eli linge lenzelwa ulutsha ukuze luqeqeshwe ekuthungeni ifele (leather). Laqala ngamagatyana alishumi athathwe ekuhlaleni. Kudliwano ndlebe nelinye igatyana lithi oko baqala bafunde lukhulu . Eli gatyana lihambisa lithi bazimisele ukufunda kwaye banqwenela ukuba lonke ulutsha lungafumana uqeqesho. “Le projekthi iwatshintshile amaphupha am, ndizibona mna nabahlobo bam sikwiprojekthi enkulu, silusapho olukhulu sivelisa izinto zofele ezikudidi oluphezulu. Mhalwumbi ndingade ndithethe nabaphathi bevenkile bazo kuthenga iimveliso zethu, ezinje ngooTruworths. Siyathengisa kubantu base kuhlaleni kodwa xa ikhula iprojekthi yethu singathengisa nakwivenkile ezinkulu”. Icebiso lona lithi; Funda kangangoko unako

The Tshwaranang Resource Centre operates a computer training centre from Saint Michael’s Anglican Church in Queenstown. In 2009, Tshwaranang opened a second centre in Sterkspruit. They have had support from HOPE Africa and the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund through the Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches.

The process started in 2003 in a series of consultative meetings which culminated in a decision to open a resource centre. The then Suffrugan Bishop Thabo Makgoba, who is now the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, suggested we introduce computer literacy training as it has become one of the key requirements for getting a job. We took the idea to the community because it is very important to get buy-in from the community. If you don’t get that buy-in then a project will never work. The project started with two computers. One was actually for administration. The first group who went through the training were individuals who had just trained as HIV and AIDS caregivers. Our idea was for them to use laptops to record their work. In 2005 we approached the Eastern Cape Provincial Council of Churches for assistance. Our application was approved and we were able to access funding through the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation fund. We bought 11 computers, 10 workstations and one main computer and from

there we were able to get started on a more serious scale. In 2006 we trained 51 people in computer skills. People started talking about the courses we were offering, which is actually a training programme designed by HOPE. Others began flocking in. We were offering two sessions a day to ten students per lesson. The trainer was so committed, she introduced a third session which was set aside for older people, teachers, police, nurses and others who couldn’t come during the day. We still intend to open on Saturdays for people who can’t make it during the week. We are also mindful that our instructors operate on a volunteer basis and are given very little by way of a stipend. We are very fortunate to have such dedicated staff. Students pay R600 for the complete course – 2.5hrs every day for eight weeks, learning Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Introduction to Internet, and Introduction to Computers. It is difficult to know how much to charge. If we compare ourselves with other institutions around here, what we charge is not even half of one paper. The economic situation and the high rate of unemployment influenced our decision to charge a low rate. Sometimes people are more committed when they pay. Once someone’s paid they know they have given something, so they feel determined to get something out of it. We don’t have any screening criteria – at the moment it’s Standard 8 and first come, first served.

Left: Computer class in session. Seated in front, from left to right: Nonceba Sophitshi and Busiswa Mbadu. Back row: instructor Bukiwe Nkonjane helping Sikhona Ndlebe. Far right, Yolisa Gwebula.

Consult the community

he Northern part of the Eastern Cape is one of the worst-hit when it comes to poverty, with unacceptably high levels of unemployment and HIV and AIDS. This state of affairs prompted the Diocese of Grahamstown to initiate programmes aimed at helping people in the region improve their living conditions through building their capacity.

However, we are not accredited yet – this is something we are working on. It is not easy to get accredited. We have quite a few success stories. Some graduates have received promotions while others have found employment. But of course there are some, too, who could not find work. But at least they can apply the lessons learnt here to teach their younger brothers and sisters. We have recently opened another training centre in Sterkspruit. There wasn’t a single training institute in Sterkspruit, and it’s a very big area. The centre at Sterkspruit was made possible by the Council of Churches administering the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund, CBSA network and HOPE Africa. A committee has been established and eventually we will hand over the running of the project to them once they have received all the training that is needed to bring them up to speed in managing the centre. The project is now turning out about 300 students a year. Finding funding is one problem that does not go away. And when we do find funders willing to pay for equipment, they do not want to pay for administration or for the maintenance on computers. For this reason it’s important to start with new computers. Our dream is to get more computers so that we can make even more of an impact in our communities.

• Let the community direct you in terms of what you do, how you do it, and how much you charge. • Projects should empower individuals and communities

Thetha - thethisana nabahlali Ummandla okumantla weli le Mpuma Koloni ngowona uthwaxwa kanobom yindlala, intswela ngqesho kwakunye nokudendwa emisebenzini. Ikwayindawo apho isifo sikagawulayo sibalaseleyo khona nto leyo ingenakwahlukaniswa nendlala. Lenkonzo yase Anglican yagqiba kwelokuba ibenomthwalo wokunceda abantu balo mmandla. Kuthethwa –thethano nabahlali kwaye kwathathwa isiqibo sokuseka I Tshwaranang Resource Centre ezakuphuhlisa izakhono zabahlali. Uqeqesho kwizakhono zecomputer yaba yenye yezinto ezaphakanyiswayo ngabahlali ukuba ziyafuneka ekuhlaleni. Emva kokufumana imvume kubahlali, Itshwaraneng yaluqala oluqeqesho ngekhomputha ezimbini , iluqala oluqeqesho ngeqela lonompilo besifo sikagawulayo. Ngokuncedwa liqumrhu lecawa (Council of Churches) ne Hope Africa , iTshwaranang inamaziko amabini ngoku avelisa abaqeqeshwa abayi 300 ngonyaka. Baqeqesha uluntu ngokubanzi ukusukela kulutsha ukuya kubantu abadala baquka nabantu abaphangelayo. Imali ebizwayo kweliziko incinane xa ithelekiswa namanye amaziko oqeqesho. Bathi babukele ukukuzinikela nokukhuthala kwabaqeqeshwa.

Zolile Ntlale, (right) Director of the Tshwaranang Resource Centre, with trainer Bukiwe Nkonjane.

Getting the community involved (Isi-Xhosa, page 112) Getting the community involved in a project first involves listening. And because communities are made up of a diverse range of individuals – old, young, women, men, educated, literate and illiterate people, leaders, ministers, employed and unemployed – the people consulted as ‘the community’ should ideally comprise representatives of these groups. Tools used in participatory rural appraisal (PRA) are ways of drawing out information or asking questions that have been shown to work well in the past. To find out about these tools, a good website to visit is www.jeevikasewa.org/the_jeevika_project.htm

Ikhwezi Women’s Support Centre is based in Cathcart and offers a range of empowerment programmes mainly aimed at women and children. Ikhwezi receives support from the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund and the Department of Social Development, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Labour.

In 2003 we were working with the community of Toise. The women were given training on the Domestic Violence Act and gender based violence. This is a small community but sometimes cultural stereotypes force people not to talk about abuse. During the workshop, many brave women came out and talked about their experiences of being abused. At the end of the training they told us they wanted to start a project in order to end their dependency on men. Some men supported the women in this and so we developed a project plan involving both women and men. The idea of involving men was to help change their mindsets. The project started in 2006 and it has an office based in Bomvana Village. Since then, the Departments of Agriculture and Labour, and the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund have come onboard to support the project. We started to work with three villages in Toise. One project is in Bomvana Village where they raise chickens. The second is in Ndumangeni Village where they make bricks. The third village, Ngqanda, focuses on food security.

There are 18 members in the chicken project, which has grown from 100 chickens to 300. The members divide their responsibilities and work in shifts. The exciting thing is that they are now being joined by youth. Members have recently started sharing profits but some money has been banked and is monitored. The project has changed people’s lives. They have learnt the skill of raising chickens, and they are now more confident in themselves, even claiming to have come out of their shells enough to talk to other people when previously they would have been too afraid. The brick making project is similar to the chicken project. They identified what they wanted to do and included men. The project members have formed two groups of five. Within the groups they divide the work. They hold a meeting with all members once a month and claim the system works very well as they make a point of talking about problems and trying to solve whatever issues they have. In the words of one member, “The project has taught me that sometimes you disagree with other people but the important part is to make sure that those issues are resolved.”

Think it through

khwezi Women’s Support Centre started in 1997 to fight violence against women and children. We run awareness campaigns on domestic violence, and we provide counselling and medical advice to survivors.

Another says it has improved her ability to relate to others in the community. “The project has taught me that when working with other people

you get to learn different things. Before I joined I was not good at socialising with other people but now I am a different person altogether.” From this project we have learned that each and every person needs to stand up and do things for themselves. Also, when you are working with other people, you learn how to share.

Ikhwezi’s Linda Brukwe (back, left) with brickmakers from Bomvana Village.

• Hold regular meetings to discuss issues. • Talk about problems.

Yicingisise into ofuna ukuyenza Ikhwezi Women’s Support Centre ngumbutho owasekelwa ukulwa nokuphathwa gadalala kwabafazi nabantwana. Lombutho ufundisa ke ngobundlobongela obujoliswe kubo uze ubanike nentetho- ntuthuzelo yengqondo namacebiso ezempilo kwabathe basinda. Le projekthi yaqalwa ngo 2003 ngexesha besebenza noluntu lwasezilalini zaseToise kumthetho wokulwa ukuphathwa gadalala ekhaya,kwabonakala iyinto enzima ukuthetha ngoxhaphazo. Ekupheleni koqeqesho omama ababelapho bagqiba ekubeni baqalise amalinge ongeniso mali ukuze bangaxhomekeki emadodeni ngento yonke. Amanye amadoda ayekhona axhasa omama kulembono kwaza kwenziwa isicwangciso nkqubo esiquka amadoda nabafazi. Esinye sezizathu sokubandakanya amadoda kukwazama ukuncedisa ukuba atshintshe imbono yawo ngohlukumezo. Kwaqalwa amalinge amathathu kwilali ezintathu zase Toise, enye iprojekthi ekwaBomvana ikhulisa iinkukhu,eyesibini iseNdumangeni yenza izitena. Le yisithathu ise Ngqanda, ijongene nokuvelisa ukutya kodwa ke ngoku kuba komile akukho nto bayilimileyo. La malinge abenze basondelelana bengabahlali kwaye bafunda nezinye izinto ezinjengo; • ukuthetha ngengxaki zabo • ukusombulula ingxaki eziye zithi gqi kumalinge ngokwabo • ukwabelana ngomsebenzi ngokulinganayo • ukungavumelani kodwa imvisiswano niyigcina • ukwabelana • ukungabi lilolo kodwa ube nezihlobo

What does accountability mean? (Isi-xhosa, page 112) Being accountable means being responsible for an activity or a sum of money. It also means reporting on the activity or money in a way that is honest and clear (in other words, in a transparent way). Being accountable also means you accept to bear the consequences if something goes wrong or you don’t perform as expected.

Be committed

The Machubeni Natural Resource Management Company in Chris Hani Municipality has achieved a lot since it started in 2002. The erosion control measures, water facilities, gardens and wood lots present an impressive picture of what can be achieved by a “powerful spirit”. Machubeni is assisted by Ru-Liv.

here are 18 villages ranging in size from 46 to 306 households in Machubeni, so we are a big rural community. We started talking to the municipality in 2002 about what we could do as a community to improve our situation here. In 2003, Ru-Liv came to our assistance and imbizos were called. Two people from each village were trained in gardening, fencing, building, tree-planting and soil erosion, and their role was to go back and work with five other people in their villages. These seven members work with their community, including the sub-head man and ward councilor, so it’s like a big chain. This makes the Machubeni Natural Resource Management Company quite big – we have 48 representatives, who are governed by an elected board of between eight and twelve people, and a management committee who take responsibility for daily executive decision-making and staff management. All the positions, apart from the administrator, are voluntary – no stipends are paid. Fortunately, as a community, we think alike. Our aim is to try and build ourselves up. We welcome people who come to assist us, but we want to do it on our own, without depending on anyone. We want to manage the natural resources in a sustainable way and keep any social or economic benefits we might make to help the community.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Treat the earth well, for it was not given to us by our parents ... it is lent to us by our children. â&#x20AC;? African proverb

We have a powerful spirit in Machubeni, because we think of ways to use what we have and make it benefit us. We also understand that, as human beings, we are the owners of our own actions. You must first make a commitment to yourself before you can commit to collective action. When one person commits, it flows to the next. A person wishing to do what you are doing will start from your influence. Bringing people’s ideas together is also a way of encouraging them to commit. They might be poor ideas, they might be good ideas, but no idea needs to be thrown away. It is better to engage people in the project, even the people who are negative. Those people need to be dealt with face to face – you need to understand where they are coming from so you can deal with the negativity. You need to be very strategic. It is important to know what you are doing so you can give clear answers to the critics. People may criticise you because they do not know exactly what the programme is. Communication is what’s important when it comes to breaking down complaints and criticisms. And when you do it from this perspective, you do it in a way that builds the knowledge of the person who is criticising, allowing them to understand. But as a leader you must know you are not always one hundred percent right. Your programmes should be open for complaints. If handled the right way, complaints can assist in building the programme. Good leaders have to understand how people think. If people are complaining you need to listen and say, “so what is it you are complaining about?” Don’t throw these complaints away. Everyone should be welcome to raise whatever they want. It is for the group to see how important the comments are. The other thing is that, when you are elected by the community you must make sure you give continuous feedback. This is very important.

We have had people pull out. Not everyone starts with the same understanding. Those who pull out may ask for another chance once they see the opportunities that could have been available to them. At that point you can give them another chance to prove themselves, but they must WORK!

Zinikele kwinto oyenzayo iMachubeni Natural Resource Management Company ngumbutho omkhulu odibanisa ilali eziyi 18 e Machubeni, kwidolophu yase Lady Frere phantsi ko Masipala wesithili i Chris Hani. Saye sathetha no Masipala sicinga ukuba yintoni esinokuyenza ukuphucula imeko yethu apha. Ngo2003, iRuv-Liv yasinceda saze sabiza abantu ababini kwilali nganye bafundiswa ukwenza iigadi, ukubiya ucingo, ukwakha, ukutyala imithi kwakunye nokunqanda ukhukuliseko mhlaba. Kwakufuneka bona beye elalini yabo bafundise abanye abantu abahlanu, nabo abantu bathi basebenze nabanye yade yakhula le nto. Sinabameli abangama-48, nto leyo eyenza lo mbutho ubemkhulu kakhulu. Abasibhozo ukuya kwishumi elinambini abantu abalawulayo, bathi bathathe uxanduva lokwenza izigqibo. Into ozingca ngayo yinto yokuba akukho mntu ubhatalwayo bonke basebenzela uluntu. Banomoya obadibanisayo, kuko oko belwamnkela uncedo kodwa bafuna ukuzenzela. Bayaqonda ukuba ukuzinikela yenye yezinto eyakubenza baphumelele yaye kubalulekile ukuba umntu ngamnye azinikele kwisenzo esenziwe ngumntu wonke Bathi izinto ezibancede ukuba bakhe umbutho wabe ube liqilima; • Kukuzihoya zonke ingcamango zabantu nokuba azilunganga kuyaphi • Ukubandakanya wonke umntu kwilinge nokuba unembono ezitenxileyo • Ukuba nombutho onothethwano oluvulekileyo • Ukuvumela abantu bavakalise izikhalazo zabo • Ukuthi ukuba yinkokheli ukhuphe ingxelo rhoqo • Ukubamnkela abo bakreqileyo embuthweni , ubanika elinye ithuba lokuba babe ngamalungu kwakhona kodwa ubajonge ukuba bayasebenza na? Basishiya nengcebiso ke • Yazi into ofuna ukuyenza ube nesizathu sokuba ufuna ukwenza lonto • Yiba nesicwangciso somsebenzi wakho. Ukuba awuwucwangcisi umsebenzi wakho, uzakuyazi njani ukuba mawuqale phi? • Zinikele-njengesiqu nanje ngeqela Le projekthi yase Machubeni isebenza kunye no RULIV.

• Know what you want to do and why. You must have a reason. • Develop a plan of action. If you don’t plan what you want to do, how do you know where to start • Commit as individuals and as a group.

Above: Machubeni Natural Resource Management Company respresentatives Mpumelelo Xiphu, HIV & AIDS & Agriculture; Themba Xanywa, Monitor; Fumanekile Mthandeki, Councillor; Siphilo Enoch Madywabe, Chairman; Mntuwalapha Mjandana, Regulations; and Zolani Ndongeni, Administrator.

What to include in a constitution (Isi-Xhosa, page 112)

constitution lists the rules and regulations that an organisation agrees to follow. It is important to develop the constitution at the start of an organisation or project’s creation, because it provides all those involved in the project with a clear understanding of what the project is set up for, and how everything will operate, including how decisions will be made. The first step is to bring together all those involved in the project to develop the constitution. Write up, group and number the decisions made at this meeting – they will become the ‘Articles’ within the constitution. Use simple language and keep the information brief, clear, and to the point. It is important that the constitution is understood by all those involved, not just lawyers. However, there are a number of requirements a constitution must comply with in order for it to be registered.

• state that the organisation's income and property are not distributable to its members or office-bearers, except as reasonable compensation for services rendered; • make provision for the organisation to be a body corporate and have an identity and existence distinct from its members or office-bearers; • make provision for the organisation's continued existence notwithstanding changes in the composition of its membership or office-bearers; • ensure that the members or office-bearers have no rights in the property or other assets of the organisation solely by virtue of their being members or office-bearers; • specify the powers of the organisation; • specify the organisational structures and mechanisms for its governance;

The Guide to Nonprofit Organisations (NPO) Act 1997 lists some of the 'mandatory requirements' as follows: Unless the laws in terms of which a non-profit organisation is established or incorporated make provision for the matters in this sub-section, the constitution of a non-profit organisation that intends to register must -

• set out the rules for convening and conducting meetings, including quorums required for and the minutes to be kept of those meetings;

• state the organisation's name;

• determine a date for the end of the organisation's financial year;

• state the organisation's main and secondary objectives;

• determine the manner in which decisions are to be made; • provide that the organisation's financial transactions must be conducted by means of a banking account;

• set out a procedure for changing the constitution; • set out a procedure by which the organisation may be wound up or dissolved; • provide that, when the organisation is being wound up or dissolved, any asset remaining after all its liabilities have been met, must be transferred to another non-profit organisation having similar objectives.

The Directorate is only entitled to refuse to register an NPO if it is not satisfied that the NPO has complied with the mandatory requirements for registration. The Education and Training Unit for Democracy and Development provides a lot of information about how to set up a non-profit organization. Visit The Community Organiser’s Toolbox at http://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/organise.html

People growing food 52

PEOPLE GROWING FOOD 53

“This is the time for rural people to experience the desired change that we have all been talking about.” Gugile Nkwinti, Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform

inding ways to keep people healthy is one of the most important contributions that can be made towards the future of South Africa. Education, employment, family life, social structures and even the environment suffer when people are unhealthy. In the Eastern Cape, where there is one doctor to every 6,273 people, it makes sense to focus on prevention rather than cure. Educating people about health issues,

improving people’s access to clean water and providing adequate sanitation are logical ways to boost people’s health. Yet another vital contributor is nutrition. Teaching people to grow their own food in home gardens is one way the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, through their Siyazondla programme, is trying to increase life expectancy in the Eastern Cape from its current 48 years. Siyazondla is also looking

at opportunities for people to sell excess produce, in order to improve their income. Many non-governmental and communitybased organisations are also promoting gardening as a means of combating poverty and its effects. Several are featured here, including examples of both large gardens aimed at income generation and small gardens created to provide food to feed a family.

Temba Community Development Services is a faith-based organisation working with communities affected by HIV and AIDS. It is based outside of Mthatha in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality. Temba is supported by the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund through the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition.

Each month we plant a different type of vegetable. We have grown potatoes, spinach, beetroot, carrots and peas. It has been very successful, but the only problem is that 25 percent of our 30 participants have no fences in their gardens. This means they are easily damaged by stock. But those with fences are doing very well. Originally, we got project funding for only 20 people, but we stretched it because of the amount of interest. It’s a year-long project and our goal is that people will keep their gardens

Left: Joseline Manamatela and Lepuo Kenjana.

going once the project is over. We have also been supported by the Department of Agriculture who ran a twoday workshop for us. We have learnt different gardening techniques and about companion planting – how some crops are better planted together because they help keep pests and disease away – like planting onions near potatoes. Since starting this project, we have learnt that not all the participants are committed. It is important to involve people not just because they are poor, but because they really want to garden. The problem is that many people do not like to do manual work and think that gardening is lowly. But because of poverty, they also realise there is no other way of getting help and they must plant their own vegetables to supplement what they earn. The older people have experienced this before so their generation is still interested in gardening. They also know that with the unemployment statistics here in Mthatha, it is very unlikely that they will get a job. Every month we have people coming, wanting to get involved or simply wanting to get seeds. We have to tell them that this is an agricultural club with closed membership.

Keep on learning

ur local Municipality has been promoting a concept where they want to see every household in the district with its own vegetable garden. We thought this was a good idea, and so we set up Temba’s One Home, One Garden project. We started with a community meeting which we advertised through our fieldworkers who were visiting people’s homes doing home-based care. Twenty-eight people turned up and they became our project participants. The routine is that we meet once a month and spend one hour on Saturday morning talking about the project, discussing challenges with the gardens and sharing advice, before going to visit someone’s garden.

Project training is very important. Some people give the impression they know all about gardening but when you investigate you find that their crop is poor, and there’s no explanation. It’s important not to send people off without training, no matter how much they claim to know. One important difference in our project is that we have an open-door policy at Temba and anyone from the community can come and visit our gardens at the Hospice, which we use as demonstration plots. This places some responsibility on the participants to learn more for themselves. People who actively seek knowledge are the ones who are most likely to make their gardens a success.

• Take responsibility for your own learning.

Funda ude ukhokhobe iTemba Community Development Service ngumbutho osiseko sawo siyinkolo yobu Krestu kwaye usebenza ngendawo ezithwaxwe kakhulu sisifo sika gawulayo. Le projekthi iphaya kula mmandla waseMthatha kumasipala wase King Sabatha Dalindyebo. Nayo ixhaswe liphulo elilwa nendlela le Ofisi yeNkulumbuso yephondo LeMpuma Koloni, elawulwa yi Eastern Cape NGO Coalition. uMasipala wase Mthatha angathanda ukubona indlu nganye kwisithili inegadi yemifuno. I Temba Community Development Services esebenzisana nabahlali kwisifo sikagawulayo yawuthanda lombono yada yaqala ilinge ekuthiwa Temba’s One Home – One Garden Project. Eli linge balisasaza eluntwini ngemihlangano yabahlali beyigqithisa nangonompilo babo. Baqala ngamalungu ayi -28. Lamalungu alima abuye adibane ngemigqibelo, echaza ingxelo nemiceli - mngeni abuye acebisane. Bafunde lukhulu kweli linge, befunda indlela ezintsha zokulima nokuvelisa imifuno. Banazo ingxakana ezinje; • Ngokungabiywa kwezinye igadi ezibuye zimoshwe yimfuyo

Top right: Mike Sodaba with Joseline Manamatela.

• Ukungazinikeli kwabanye abantu ekulimeni • Abantu abathi bayakwazi ukulima kodwa imveliso yabo ingabise mgangathweni Bavuyiswa kweli linge ngabantu abadala abasoloko benomdla besebenza. Bathi uqeqesho yinto ebalulekileyo kakhulu kwilinge ngalinye olenzayo.

Keyhole gardens are small raised gardens which are

What do different

simple to look after, great for the elderly and easy to protect from stock. They are made using natural materials and are not difficult to build. A â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;basketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; made from stacked sticks (which runs the full height of the garden) sits in the middle of the structure and raw food scraps and water are regularly put in here, providing nutrients to the garden. The garden starts as a trench dug in the shape of the garden, which is lined with a base of non-aluminium tin cans. A waisthigh rock or brick wall is built around this trench. Next, the tall stick-basket (mentioned above) is placed in the middle. Layers of straw, paper, wood ash, manure and soil are added, layer upon layer, around the basket and on top of the tins till they reach the top of the rock wall.

Family hydroponic tunnels are small greenhouses which are the

ideal size to provide food for a family â&#x20AC;&#x201C; perhaps with a little left over to sell. A family tunnel often uses a hydroponic system of gardening where plants are grown without soil. Instead, the plants are suspended in water or planted in a polythene bag containing course sand or small stones. The water contains a mineral-rich and properly balanced mixture of nutrients. Because the plant does not have to use its energy to find nutrients in the soil, it can concentrate all its efforts on producing fruit and leaves, so plants grow quickly and in a smaller space. The downside is that people have to buy the special nutrient formula which is not readily available in South Africa and is costly for many people (although the amount and quality of produce should compensate for this).

gardening terms mean?

(Isi-Xhosa, page 113)

Permaculture is described by Phikisile Zondani from the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) as common sense gardening using natural resources. “It’s looking at your natural environment around your house and figuring out how to use what is already there to grow things.” Instead of throwing away water used for washing, it can be used to water the garden. Instead of buying fertiliser, use kraal manure, and instead of pesticide, plant things like marigold, garlic and mint alongside other vegetables as these repel pests.

Door plot gardens got their name because they are roughly the same size as a door. They are also known as a trench garden. Trench gardens are dug in two parts – the first 30cm (or spade-blade depth) is dug out and put to one side. Then another 30cm is dug. This makes a hole about 60cm deep. The bottom of the hole is lined with cardboard or non-aluminium tins. On top of that layers of soil, compost, paper and manure are placed (one door-plot garden uses about 12 black rubbish bags of compost and manure). Finally the top layer of soil is put back. The finished garden should form a mound on top of the earth, which will sink slightly as the material underneath settles and decomposes. Worms love to make their homes in this kind of soil making plants grow well.

“A garden is like a child. You must feed your baby all the time, whether he has fever or whether he is well. Each and every moment is different. If the gardens are at your home, they are right there in front of your nose. Even when you come late from work, you see your garden. That is why the gardening system I prefer is the household garden.” Vuyo Mtiya, Agricultural field officer, MATAT EDA Environment and Development Agency

A simple greenhouse This greenhouse, at Three Crowns School in Chris Hani District, shows what can be done with a little creativity. One half of the greenhouse is a four-walled shed made from discarded plastic drink bottles. The other half is made from shade cloth. In winter, the plastic bottle shed makes a nice, warm tent under which seedlings can grow. However, in summer it gets very hot, so seedlings are kept under shade-cloth at the side of the greenhouse. This greenhouse was built by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) in conjunction with Eskom Sustainable Energy Use Project and with Chris Hani’s Health Management Division and the Department of Education.

What is compost Compost is made from any organic material that will rot, such as fruit and vegetables, egg shells, cardboard, paper, leaves, manure, seaweed etc. The rich, broken down soil that forms at the bottom of the pile is the compost you want for the garden.

What is mulching Mulch is material placed on top of the soil to keep in the moisture and to help stop weeds growing. Mulch can be made from shredded cardboard or newspaper, straw or sawdust.

Want to set up a community garden?

Vuyo Mtiya, Agricultural field officer from MATAT EDA gives the following advice. (Isi-Xhosa, page 114)

• Have a strong constitution (see page 50) that sets out what’s expected of everyone involved in the project and how things will work. Involve only committed people – in fact, commitment is the key ingredient! • Decide on a membership fee. Then set up a bank account specifically for the project. Discuss how book keeping and reporting systems will work so you can keep track of spending and income. This way, everyone involved knows what is happening. • Secure the land. If it belongs to someone else, make sure the terms for land use are clear. Is the land area the right size (not too big or too small) for what you want to achieve? • The land needs to be fenced. • Make sure you have easy access to a constant, reliable source of water. • Because of their size, communal gardens will need ploughing and disking first (this costs over R1000 a hectare, so money needs to be available to cover this). After that you can get by with spades, forks and rakes. Other equipment you might need includes water tanks and hoses (and possibly a pump), lock-up sheds for tools, wheelbarrows and watering cans. • Will each family have its own plot within the larger garden? Or will the garden be handled as one big plot? • Find a good source for seedlings. Can you germinate the seeds yourself – maybe by building a glasshouse (see previous page for a glasshouse made from recycled bottles)? Seek advice from people who know what to do. • Get proper training and find someone who can give you on-going advice. Make sure the training includes actual gardening. Practical training is important.

Menjine is situated on Black Diamond Farm 8 kilometres from Matatiele. The village of around 100 households has been supported by the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition members MATAT EDA, the Matatiele Advice Centre, and Noncedo. Funding has been provided through the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund.

Two years ago, before we started the projects, things were not easy. We were hungry. But now, despite our continuing problem with water scarcity, we are producing beautiful results – our cabbage, spinach and butternut are of good quality and we are selling our chickens. We have started to market our produce to the Department of Health and now that they know the quality of our vegetables we hope they will keep coming back to us. This success is because we have dedicated ourselves to our work. But for our

work to reach greater heights we wish we could get assistance to improve our access to water. We are fortunate to have a supportive ward councillor and ward committee. They have always encouraged and helped us to seek extra assistance. We have also been fortunate because of the guidance we have received from other organisations. When you are starting something new it is helpful to have the ongoing support and advice of people who know what to do and who can guide you. These organisations ran workshops, gave us training and continue to monitor our progress. That has been the foundation for the work that we are doing. It is essential to have that training – to gain the theory before you start on the practice. But even more than this, it is love for the project that has enabled us to produce the best results. You must have that love to succeed.

Left: Mrs Gcingca, Mrs Mantwa, Mr Dlansandla, Mr Molaoa discussing compost with MATAT-EDA Agricultural Field Officer Vuyo Mtiya.

First theory, then practice

our hearts might well be troubled to see our isolated Menjine. But then you can also see we have started to make changes. We have formed into groups: one group of 10 is involved in gardening and one group of 10 is raising poultry. We also trained six people in home-based care – this group has now also grown to 10 so we have three groups working on different projects.

â&#x20AC;˘ Know the theory behind what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing before putting it into practice.

Below: Mr Ramakautee showing broiler chicks heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s raised. Left: Members of the Menjine community talk about the project. Far left: Livestock grazing in Menjine.

Ulwazi lungamandla IMenjine yindawo emiselwe kwindawo eyodwa ngase Matatiele kwindawo ekuthiwa yi Black Diamond Farm. Zikhona inguquko abazame ukuzenza. Abantu bakhona bayasokola bathwaxwa yindlala. Kungokunje baqalise ukwenza utshintsho ngokuzibandakanya kumaphulo okulwa indlala.. Banamaqela amathathu akumalinge amathathu â&#x20AC;&#x201C; elegadi, iinkuku kwakunye nokulwa isifo sika gawulayo. Phambi kokuba ziqalise ezi projekthi kwiminyaka emibini edlulileyo izinto bezingahambi kakuhle, bebelamba besokola. Ngoku noxa besokola amanzi kodwa banemveliso encomekayo kakhulu. Baqalise ngokuthengisa imveliso zabo kwiSebe leZempilo, kwaye bathemba ukuba njengokuba sele besaziwa nje baza kubuye baze kuthenga kwakhona. Impumelelo yabo kulo msebenzi ibe ngunozala wokuzinikela kwabo. Babenethamsanqa ke nokuba babenoceba wendawo yabo obaxhasayo kwakunye nekomiti esoloko ibathundeza ukuba bafune uncedo xa beludinga. Bathi baluqokelela olulwazi ukuze balisebenzise kumalinge abo kuba xa uqala into entsha uye udinge umntu oza kukuxhasa akubonise ukwenziwa kwayo.

e decided to use this land because it belongs to the community and it was not being used. We met with the Chief and community members who gave us the go-ahead to use it. The other reason we used this land is because it’s closer to the river where we access water. We channel the water from the pipes into the tanks. However it is very dry here and to really grow vegetables well we need an irrigation system. The piece of land we are farming is big – four hectares, which is ploughed at one time. It is not easy to garden a piece of land this size and unless people have the right equipment, they should not be too ambitious. There must also be enough people to assist when handling a plot this size. For instance, we have about 25 members, although only 15 are really active (and we can use our constitution to apply pressure on them to perform). But really, it’s not the numbers that count. You don’t need big numbers if people are prepared to work. We have found a good buyer for our cabbages but to be honest we need the sprinkler system if we are to meet our orders and assure them of quality produce. Being able to supply to a consistent quality is important as a producer.

Left: Members of the Masakhane Project: Mr Nongwejana, Nokwenela Yeko and Boniswa Mbulawa.

• Meet the expectations of your market.

Fumana apho ungathengisa khona, nezidingo zalo ndawo I Masakhane Project yiprojekthi eseLibode, ngase Mthatha, elima kumhlaba oziihekhthare ezingama25, bawunikwa yi Nkosi yalapho kuba abahlali abangabanini balo mhlaba bengawusebenzisi. Enye into abayithandayo kulo mhlaba kukuba ukufutshane nomlambo ngako oko bayakwazi ukufumana amanzi. Komile kakhulu kule ndawo kangangokuba bafuna indlela ephucukileyo yokunkcenkceshela. Lo mhlaba noxa umkhulu kangako nje kodwa bawulima ngexesha elinye. Akukho lula ke ukuwongamela umhlaba ongako ngaphandle kokuba abantu babenezixhobo zokuwusebenza ezaneleyo. Kumele kubekho abantu abeneleyo bokusebenza. Njengokuba bengamalungu angama-25 nje balishumi elinesihlanu kuphela abasebenza ngokuzimisela. Bavuyiswa yinto yokuba bafumene umntu ozakuthenga ikhaphetshu labo. Bathi basafuna amaqhinga okugcina imveliso yabo isemgangathweni ophezulu.

Find markets, meet demands

Twenty-five members of the Masakhane Project, Libode, tend a four-hectare garden in the hills beyond Mthatha. The project is supported by the Department of Agriculture and the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund through the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders.

e want our gardening project to be a success. We want to show people that if you take your time and commit yourself to something, then in future you will reap the rewards of your investment. If you sit there and complain, things will never happen. Just do something for yourself. We started the Masihlume-MaBhele Gardening Project because of the high prices of vegetables in our community. Getting produce into our village is expensive. So we decided we needed to grow our own food and sell it amongst our people. In 2007, representatives from the House of Traditional Leaders told us to apply for funding from the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund. The chief gave us four hectares of land to use. Then through the PPAF we got the funds for fencing, a lock-up container, some tools, tanks, a generator and seedlings. We also got pipes and a pump to get water from the river but that hasn’t been very successful and we are still watering by hand. We have also had some training in book keeping and project management.

There are 26 people involved in the project. Only a couple have pulled out since the start. The people who joined originally did not have to pay to become involved. But anyone who joins now must pay R300. That’s because people only come when they start seeing things happening. At the moment we have only one hectare planted. Eventually we would like every person to have their own plot to manage. That will mean that if they don’t come to work, it will be their plot that suffers.

• Make sure your traditional leader supports what you’re doing.

Respect traditional channels

Masihlume-MaBhele Gardening Project is in the community of Feni Village, not far from Peddie. The project has a large vegetable garden, which is supported by the Premier’s Poverty Alleviation Fund through the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders .

Inkosi mazikuxhase oko nikwenzayo I Masihlume-MaBhele Gardening Project yiprojekthi ekwiilali zase Ngqushwa. Le projekthi inegadi enkulu eyayifumana ngenkxaso evela kwindlu yeenkosi. Eli linge laqala ngenxa yexabiso eliphezulu lemifuno apho. Eli qela laqonda ukuba malizimele libuye lithengise apha ekuhlaleni. Lithi lincediswe kwizinto ezininzi kweli linge, uncedo olo luquka imibhobho neempompo zokutsala amanzi emlanjeni kodwa basanckenckeshela ngezandla ngenxa yokuba lemibhobho ingasebenzi ngohlobo olufanekileyo. Bathi balufumene noqeqesho lokugcina iincwadi (Bookkeeping) nokuphatha iprojekthi le kakuhle (Project Management). Bagqibela nge lithi okwangoku basazama amaqhinga okwenza wonke umntu azinikele kwiprojekthi le. Icebiso labo: â&#x20AC;˘ Zama ukuba inkokheli zakho zemveli zikuxhase kwilinge olenzayo

Keeping it fair (Isi-Xhosa, page 114)

One common theme in community gardening projects is how to make the distribution of work and profits fair. Projects start idealistically with the belief that people will all pull their weight, but in reality communities are made up of personalities, commitments, allegiances, jealousies, and a mix of different personal and work ethics. Also, involvement in a project offers hope, and so people want to be involved without always fully understanding the work they are committing

themselves to. This lack of clarity at the beginning can lead to confusion and frustration further down the line. Innovative ways of keeping people interested include extra rewards for people who work hard (such as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Worker of the Weekâ&#x20AC;? award that entitles the person to extra rations of vegetables); providing soup on-site for workers; or running competitions with a reward for the best plot or biggest vegetable.

Emmanuel Haven Wellness Centre calls itself ‘A Christian response to HIV and AIDS’. The Centre is situated in Motherwell near Port Elizabeth. It is partnered by a number of different institutions, but the intention is for the Centre to be self-sufficient.

The building where Emmanuel Haven now stands was originally a place of safety for children and orphans during apartheid times. When the new government came in they said, “We don’t like places of safety. We want to see the children placed in the community rather than in an institution”. So from ’98 to about 2004 this place was left abandoned. The scrap metal dealers came in and ransacked the place. It was an absolute wreck. Dr Chabula got hold of Social Development, who owned the buildings, and said, “Give me some of that area”. Everyone thought she was mad because the place was a mess. But she got volunteers to come in and start cleaning the place. Dr Chabula then started approaching businesses to ask for their help in setting up a clinic. They got funding from various places to start renovating the rest of the place and over five years the buildings were entirely renovated through grants from government or funding from individuals and businesses.

Emmanuel Haven now has about 50 people coming to the clinic daily for food and antiretroviral treatment. We have a daycare centre for about 80 children and a school. We’ve just opened a 24-hour hospice. We have homebased carers who are just getting involved in providing first-stage ambulance care in “rescue houses” we’re helping set up in the community. We have a radio station which is very important for educating the broader community. And then there’s other work in Motherwell community, including family tunnel gardening projects, and the hydroponic gardens. We work by partnering with people who are good at what they do. Radio Kingfisher is a community radio station in Port Elizabeth. They partner us for our broadcast service. IYDSA, the Institute of Youth Development of South Africa, run the clinic. We do joint accreditations with them, but they’re the experts and that’s why we partner with them. It is a model that is working well for us. We partner everywhere we can. For instance, we decided we needed to establish something that would bring Emmanuel Haven an income and so we started a hydroponic farm. Our partner and mentor there is Tony Oshery who has very successful hydroponic farms. He showed us what to do and all the produce gets distributed through him. In the long term we

Left: Siphelele Dyantyi from Emmanuel Haven Wellness Centre

Reward hard work

he Emmanuel Haven Wellness Centre was an initiative started by Dr Mamisa Chabula Nxiweni – a doctor who was talking about HIV and AIDS long before anyone else was. Dr Chabula had been practicing in Motherwell for over 20 years and she decided she wanted to give something back to the people she’d been working with.

are expecting that the farm will be a sustainable funding source. The hydroponic farm has also allowed us to involve more people from Motherwell. We employ them and they learn new skills. The operation employs 35 at the moment and that will be increased to about 50 or 60 when we do our own packing and distribution, which we are planning. We are able to produce 11,000 cucumbers a month. Emmanuel offers a Christian response to HIV and AIDS in Motherwell, so Christian input is key for us in all we do. We work hard to establish strong community and customer links. It is important to be connected with the community and churches.

way to get to know whose motivation you can trust is to know the people and that only comes from spending time in the community. Get involved. It may take many months of going there, talking to people and listening. Don’t go for the quick fix. The other key piece of advice is the biblical principle of ‘reward the faithful’. Recognise those who work hard. You see it often with projects … where people don’t water or weed and their crops fail. And then some NGO or funder comes along and says, “Oh, shame, you haven’t got any crops. Well then, here’s some money for you.” Meanwhile the person who worked hard doesn’t get any reward. Imagine if someone said, “You’ve done well. Here’s some more land to work.” Don’t reward the unfaithful or you will always have problems. Reward the faithful and they will continue to work hard.

We realise that the churches are important places for educating people. Churches are on the ground and that’s where issues get addressed. Once you’re educated on something, you understand it and you are able to make better decisions. It is also very important to network and to know what other people are doing. It is good to get involved on other boards because that’s where people exchange names and ideas, like who is good to approach for certain things, or who to avoid. One piece of advice to remember is not to exclude opinion leaders and get alongside influential people in the community. They will torpedo your project if you don’t include them. They may have a lot to say, but it is important that you listen to them. At the same time, be very wary of people who come alongside your project with the intention of taking claim for it. The only

• Partner with experts. • Involve opinion leaders. • Reward those who are faithful and work hard.

Developing partnerships (Isi-Xhosa, page 114)

Vuza umsebenzi ozinikezeleyo

The meaning of the word ‘partnership’ implies shared goals and values, trust and commitment. It is necessary for partners to clarify exactly what they’re thinking of when it comes to these terms. Having a memorandum of understanding (MoU) makes it clear what the partnership hopes to achieve, what input is required from each partner in order to achieve this, and how long the partnership will last. The MoU should also specify how the parties should communicate with each other, and how often (including any reporting requirements or structured meeting dates).

I Emmanuel Haven Wellness Centre liziko elilwa isifo sikagawulayo eMotherwell eBhayi. Eliziko yimizamo ka Dr. Mamisa Chabula Nxiweni – ugqirha oneminyaka engaphezu kwe 20 esebenza eMotherwell.

It is also important to remember that partnerships involve people – and that means personalities. Relationships need to be handled sensitively and respectfully. A conflict clause saying how disagreements will be managed is another important item to include in a partnership agreement or MoU.

Eli ziko laqala liyikliniki kodwa ngoku ; • Linikezela nge ARVs nokutya • Linesikolo nendawo yokugcina abantwana abancinci • Lizakuvula isibhedlela (hospice) • Linonompilo abasebenza elokishini e Motherwell • Linesikhululo sosasazo esifundisa uluntu ngokubanzi • Linamalinge egadi eMotherwell Bathi into abayenzayo kukuba ngamaqabane nabantu abayaziyo into abayenzayo. Kumaqabane abo bangakhankanya; »»

I Radio Kingfisher ebancedisa kwisikhululo sabo sokusasaza

»»

Institute of Youth Development of South Africa ephethe ikliniki

Banayo nefama elima ngohlobo oluthile (hydroponic farm). Lefama ayaneli nje ukubanika imveliso ababuye bayithengise koko iqesha nabahlali base Motherwel. Bazayamise kakhulu necawe ezibenze bafikelela kwinani elikhulu kwimfudiso yabo. Bathi ukunxibelelana neminye imibutho yinto abayenza kakhulu yaye nenkokheli ezimanyelwayo ngabahlali bazihoyile. Bathi xa becebisa • Benze amaqabane abantu abanolwazi • Zibandakanye inkokheli ezimanyelwayo • Bakhuthaze ngokubamnkelisa abo bathembekileyo besebenza nzima

People helping people 80

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE 81

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Desmond Tutu

ost non-governmental and community-based organisations start because someone sees a need that is not being met any other way in their community, and they decide to do something about it. Those needs can fall into economic, environmental or social problems requiring a solution. Solutions may be as straightforward as opening a soup kitchen where the very poor and sick can access nutritional food daily. This is particularly important for people on TB treatment who have to take medication on a full stomach at the same time each day. Community members are playing a valuable

role as home-based carers. Sometimes these carers are linked to government and are paid a stipend in recognition of their service. In many cases, however, home-based carers do what they do because someone has to and they have answered that calling. A similar calling is what drives others to set up a centre for the aged and disabled. The disabled in particular have to overcome the stigma they live with and are often seen as unable to contribute to society. However, there are NGOs that not only care for disabled people but establish programmes to ensure their lives are lived to their fullest potential. Some organisations have realised the

importance of early childhood development for the sake of nurturing a generation of welladjusted adults for the future. Organisations such as Imvomvo use education and sport to develop children from rural communities and townships. The focal point of their work is on maintaining the child’s curiosity to learn and preparing them for school life. Apart from academic pursuits, their approach also centres on sporting activities that help learners discover the significance of teamwork and co-operation. Such physical endeavours instil a sense of discipline and strengthen them mentally, which is needed to thrive in our modern world.

Stick to your vision

Mt Frere’s Ubuntu Care and Development Organisation started in 2000 to provide home-based care and support, and to empower the most disadvantaged people, especially those from families affected by HIV and AIDS living in Ward 17. From its premises beside the N2 – identifiable by the impressive vegetable garden out front – Ubuntu Hospice runs home-based care and training, a drop-in centre, sewing and craft project, bakery, a chicken project for grandmothers, and support for orphans and vulnerable children, including a recently-opened after-school programme. They are funded by the Department of Social Development, the AIDS Foundation and a self-help grant from the US Embassy.

eople driving past always notice our garden. We have a lot of people to feed here. And we are very proud of this garden. In February we were harvesting potatoes - we collected 780 bags. We’re not sure how big the actual garden is, but the whole plot, including the buildings, is 5000 square metres. You don’t need much. We make our own thathu bricks to build our buildings and we keep adding to what we have. Ubuntu has its own income-generating arm, the Forward Multi-purpose Co-operative, which operates from within the Hospice. This helps address the serious impact of poverty and HIV and AIDs. We use the money from craft, the bakery and our garden to fund the Idwala Laphakade Home Based Care project. We have told ourselves “Forward – ever! Backward – never!” We are walking forward, together. As foster parents and guardians we must not wait for handouts. That’s what the point is: for people not to go to sleep hungry; to never depend on handouts from social development. Our foster parents want to

do away with dependency syndrome and have started a savings club for themselves. Our vision is about improving people’s quality of life. And that’s where all organisations must start – with a vision. You mustn’t start a project just because you see a need. You must have a passion. Start with the vision, stick to it and it will guide you. It is also important to have money when you start a project. That requires you to sell your vision to other people you think you can work with. You cannot achieve anything alone. Asking the community for money is all very well, but people are hungry out there. It also means you have to

Right: Singing can teach and heal at the same time. “You can heal people emotionally by singing,” says Director Nomonde Memeza. Pictured right to left, front row: Director Nomonde Memeza, Busiswa Ntando, Maswaslala Sopazi. Back row: Nosisadzingwe, Prudence Zinyane, Ntombi Notununu, Nomziwanele Siyothula, Prudence Mlenzana, Maradebe Siyothulu, Jongilizwe Mpaxa.

Qiniseka ngombono wakho set up and make the projects that bring in money work well for you. Sometimes that means not sleeping for three days to fill a production order. You have to sacrifice yourself. It is difficult to start and sustain a project, so you must make it your baby. Developing strong partnerships is also very important – partnerships with other organisations, especially with government stakeholders. You can learn from them. You can see what they are doing and use them as a benchmark to find out where they’re getting support. The reason Ubuntu Hospice has come this far is through the power of partnership. We are at a crossroads. The development of our community lies in our hands. It is about everyone making a choice to build a caring society. We need to go back to the drawing board to create space so we can keep power within our projects. We need to work towards quality outputs. We need to share our challenges and victories with our partners and let others learn from our battles.

• Stick to your vision. • Sell your vision. • Develop strong partnerships.

I Ubuntu Care and Development Organisation ngumbutho ose Mt Frere osebenzisana nabahlali ukulwa nesifo sikagawulayo. Iqela lezinto abazenzayo singabalula ukubhaka, umthungo nokuphotha, iprojekthi yenkukhu yomama abasele bekhulile kwakunye nendawo yokugcina abantwana abazinkedama. Bafumene inkxaso mali koosomashishini base kuhlaleni nakwisebe lezophuhliso loluntu. Lo mbutho uzingca ngegadi yemifuno entle ebonwa nangubanina ohamba kuhola wendlela uN2. Ngesivuno sale gadi bathi bancede inkitha yabantu ngokutya. Abasebenzi kule gadi ngabantu abangamavolontiya bencediswa ngamalungu ebhodi. Bafundiswa indlela eyiyo yokulolonga le mveliso ukuze bazuze ingeniso ekugqibeleni. Njengabazali abajonge abantwana abangenabazali abazimisele ukuphila ngokuphiwa. Umbono wale projekthi kukuphucula izinga lokuphila kwabantu kwaye le projekthi izimisele ukuma kweso sigqibo. Batsho ke nokuthi kubalulekile ukuba xa uqala iprojekthi ube nemali eyaneleyo. Yiyo loo nto kufuneka uyithengise ebantwini le mbono kanye aba uza kusebenza nabo kuba akungekhe uphumelele uwedwa. Lo nto ithetha ukuba kufuneka usebenze ngamandla ukuzisa imali. Kufuneka uzincame kuba akululanga ukuqala iprojekthi entsha uze ukwazi ukuyigcina iqhuba. Kubalulekile nokwakha ubuhlobo neminye imibutho ngakumbi leyo inokwenza norhulumente. Uyafunda kweminye imibutho, ungabukela oko bakwenzayo uze ubasebenzise njengenqwanqwa lokunyuka uqonde nokuba bayifumana phi inkxaso. Isizathu esibangele ukuba Ubuntu Hospice intingele phezulu kangaka ibe kukwakha ubuhlobo neminye imibutho.

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MISSION AND VISION? A mission statement is a brief and motivating statement about what your organisation exists to do. A vision statement says how you will accomplish your purpose. Both statements should be well known to all your members, so make the statements short and memorable. They should help guide all the work you do and be used as a reference when faced with decisions.

Believe in what you do

Sinikuthando HIV/Aids Support Group’s focus is on HIV and AIDS care and awareness in Centane. They also do educational awareness in schools and assist with foster care arrangements and grants. Sinikuthando have received some support from Ikhala Trust.

any of the people in Centane didn’t go to school. They don’t know why it’s important to test for your HIV status. We have some people who still refuse to go to hospitals. Whether they have TB, AIDS or cancer, they just don’t want to go to a clinic. In these villages, there’s still a need for more education. Part of our role here is to provide this education, along with assessments and identifying people’s needs. Assessments help you to know where to focus your work. It also makes it easier to identify the people you need to work with or refer them to, whether it’s Social Development or the Department of Health or others. We are working in five villages and one has about four or five extended areas (sub villages). One of the needs we identified was to incorporate people with physical disabilities into the work we do. Disabled people in this area are isolated. There is nothing for them to do. It is great to see them working even better than what able people can do.

We work hard on our relationship with the community here. Our work centres around going to each house. At first, we were not well received because people didn’t know what to expect from us. But now, after we had training, we know how to engage with them. We are working well with traditional leaders and their support has helped us. Traditional leaders are a ‘first stop’ in the community. Even when there’s a problem, a report is made to the traditional leader before the police. The project has made an important contribution to the community. Through the education programme we even have the churches talking about testing and encouraging people to take medicines. We have ministers directly involved in the project, visiting homes and counselling. We work closely with children, assisting those with no birth certificates to obtain them, and referring children who aren’t immunised to clinics.

• Foster a good relationship with the community. • Believe in what you do.

Kholelwa kwinto oyenzayo i-Sinikuthando HIV/AIDS Support Group liqela elifundisa ngesifo sikagawulayo kuCentane kuba uninzi lwabantu bakhona abakholelwa kumachiza asentshona bengakholelwa nangokuya ekliniki nokuba umntu unesifo sephepha, ugawulayo okanye umhlaza. Kuninzi ekusafuneka bekufundiswe abantu bale ngingqi. Lo mbutho ke usebenza kakhulu ekufundiseni abantu nokujonga iintswelo zabo. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo abayenzileyo kukubandakanya abantu abakhubazekileyo kulo mbutho ngenxa yokuba abantu abakhubazekileyo abanakekelwa kakuhle. Kuhle ngoku ukubabona besebenza kunjalonje besenza ngcono nangaphezu kwaba bangakhubazekanga. Lo mbutho ke usebenze kwilali ezintlanu usenza iimfundiso ngezempilo kwaye, igalelo labo ekuhlaleni ekuguquleni ingqondo zabantu liyancomeka. Bathi izinto ezibancedisayo kweli galelo labo zezi zilandelayo. • Kukubandakanya abantu abakhubazekileyo emsebenzini wabo • Kukwakha ubudlelwane obuqinileyo nabahlali • Ukusebenzisana neenkokheli zemveli • Ubudlelwane abanabo neenkonzo

Princess Sonkosi from Sinikuthando Support Group is one of the only remaining founding members of the organisation.

Like many projects doing similar work, we struggle. We have no money for airtime or transport, despite the distances we need to cover. We have a project making traditional Xhosa attire which helps bring in some money for the centre and for the people involved. We have opened an income generation project in Macebe. We are also trying to work with youth by involving them in traditional singing and dancing. We have a constitution and a business plan, which is based on the needs of the community. The municipality helped us put together our constitution. They saw us struggling and paid for us to work with an NGO at the Eastern Cape Technikon (now Walter Sisulu University). Our advice is to believe in what you do. We do what we do as volunteers because we believe we can make a difference. People should get hope just by looking into your eyes.

Right: A chart outlining team values and an organogram serve as a reminder to the current Sinikuthando team and helps ensure clarity and continuity for newcomers to the project.

Record and report

The Community Health and Welfare Initiative covers bed-ridden patients across three wards of New Brighton, Port Elizabeth. It also assists orphans and vulnerable children with food packs and uniforms (rotating assistance in order to cover all 900 children in need). It runs a soup kitchen from a shipping container in New Brighton’s main road, feeding at least 30 people each day. The Community Health and Welfare Initiative also does direct treatment observations for TB patients. Key supporters have been Ikhala Trust and ABC Trust.

e started the Community Health and Welfare Initiative in New Brighton in 1999. We were a group of senior citizens from a number of different sectors – political leaders, traditional healers, religious people, and social workers working with doctors. We saw the challenges people were facing in the community – people who had been discharged from hospital because it did not have the capacity to deal with those infected with HIV and AIDS. When the patients are discharged, some of them are working, others are rejected by their family, some are poverty stricken. And sometimes it is not that the families do not care for the people, but it’s that they do not know how to take care of them. We noticed that people were dying because they often did not have proper bedside care. They were dying of dehydration, malnutrition and had bedsores. So we started this organisation because we felt we needed to do something about it. We now have a team of home based caregivers. They are trained to work at people’s homes, involving the relatives in what they do so that when they are not there the relatives can continue. The home-based carers have a register that must be signed and they write

reports on their visits. They check on children and others in the home who might need assistance. We work closely with the ward councillors in the three wards we cover in New Brighton. It is very important to engage them. We have a good relationship with them and they know the problems we have in the project. Besides the home-based care which deals with the chronically ill, we also have a soup kitchen that feeds about 30 people in the community every day – sometimes more. We have a record book for people who come for the soup and the people who benefit are the poorest of the poor. We distribute uniforms and food packs to orphans and vulnerable children. We also conduct direct treatment observations for the TB patients. Volunteering is like helping an old woman to get out of the taxi without expecting anything in return. So when we do not get stipends we do not become bitter or stop doing our work – we continue doing what we do because we are volunteering. Our dream is to have a unique settlement for the people who are sick – those infected and affected. We do not have any in the black townships.

The Community Health and Welfare Initiative, New Brighton, operates its soup kitchen from an old shipping container.

Bhala phantsi wenze ingxelo I- Community Health and Welfare Initiative yaqala ngo 1999 eNew Brighton eBhayi. Inceda iinkedama ngokutya nempahla zesikolo kwaye inalo nekhitshi lesuphu apho bondla khona abantu abangama-30 ubuncinane ngemini. Iqela labantu abadala abaphuma kumacandelo amaninzi emisebenzi, abanye ngamagqirha esintu, abantu beenkonzo, onoontlalontle kwakunye noogqirha baye bagqiba kwelokuba baqale eli phulo emveni kokuba bebone imingeni emininzi ekuhlaleni. Lemingeni ke iquka ukukhululwa kwezigulana phambi kwexesha esibhedlele kuba izibhedlela zingenandawo kwakunye nokungahoywa kwabo bagulayo zizizalwane zabo. Baye bancedisane nentsapho zezigulana kulomeko. Basebenzisana nonompilo abazama ukufundisa iintsapho zabagulayo ngokunakekela abo bagulayo. Lombutho usebenzisana kakuhle noceba basekuhlaleni yaye bathi oko, kubanceda kakhulu. Bathi banalo nelinye ilinge lokutyisa abantu abayi 30 ngemini. Baye bakhuphe nempahla yesikolo kubantwana abangafikileliyo koko. Bajonge nabantu abafumana unyango lwe TB. Bathi bazinikele emsebenzini wabo nokuba abafumani ntlawulo. Naxa bafumene intlawulo ibancinane kakhulu ayigqithi kwi R200 ngenyanga. Iphupha labo kukuba babenendawo abanokugcina kuyo abantu abagulayo.

• It is important to have proper financing systems in place when given money by a funder. Your books must always be up to date. • Take photos of what you do to serve as evidence –no one (particularly funders) will rely solely on your word. • Keep an attendance register – someone needs to monitor it. • For someone who wants to start an organisation, be sure of what you want. If you do not know there will be chaos. • Go to the community and find out their needs (they are the only ones who really know what they are). If consultation has been done properly there will be peace and participation. • Engage the ward councillor. • You must have resources. • Be creative – you must be able to create something out of nothing.

Picture: Adele Broadbent, VSA

Poverty is not a term that always refers to access to money. It can also refer to quality of life. Disabled people deserve good quality of life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to have access to a safe, comfortable environment where their health and educational needs are nurtured. This is the purpose of Nomzamo, a daycare and residential centre catering for 74 people (aged four to 40) with special needs. Located on the outskirts of Peddie, Nomzamo has received some funding from the Premierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Poverty Alleviation Fund through the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition.

This research showed that there was a need for a centre for disabled children. We needed to do something to improve the lives of the intellectually and physically challenged. So in July 1994 we started the centre. We looked for a venue and the Methodist Church allowed us to use the church hall. All the parents came together and we cleaned up the hall. We started the centre with five children. There was no transport to get the children from rural areas so at the beginning of 1995 we received a grant from Social Development and bought a bakkie. We began collecting as many disabled children as we could, from Monday to Friday.

Right: Caregiver Nozuko Mqele with Yobanathi Mlambsia. Left: Nosakhele Nopulula brings in the laundry.

Use your imagination

e started Nomzamo Special Care Centre in response to disability research by the Department of Social Development (which was the Department of Social Welfare back then). What inspired the department to do the research was the abuse of disabled children. The findings showed a lot of the children were neglected, even in their own homes. Some stayed with elderly grandparents who couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cope while some were abandoned by their parents because of their inability to look after them, and often because of shame.

Between 1994-1999, Nomzamo operated as a daycare centre. Then the venue became too small because of the workshops and education campaigns we were conducting using village health care workers. Most parents felt ashamed to have disabled children and we had to reassure them that this was not their fault. They did not do anything wrong. We had to convince them that they should not feel embarrassed bringing a child to the centre. So more children came. In 2000 the place where we are currently based became available. It was an old-aged home which had been closed by the Department of Welfare and the buildings had been vandalised. We talked again to parents to ask how they would feel about us going to the Department to ask for use of the buildings. We got permission from Nompumelelo Hospital and the Department of Health in Bhisho, and once they approved the idea the Department of Public Works pitched in because the buildings belonged to them. In 2001 the parents came together again to clean and make the buildings useable. We were also supported by local businesses in Peddie who gave us paint and cleaning materials. Then South African Breweries gave us a grant to renovate the buildings and buy gardening tools, water tanks, and even a tractor. By January 2003 we decided to open as a residential centre as many parents still struggled to get their children to the centre each day. The parents each brought a mattress, blanket and pillow for their child so we could start. At that stage – in fact, until 2008 – we were only supported financially by the Department of Social Welfare as a daycare centre, and yet we were offering residential care. Those were difficult times, trying to stretch R9.85 per day per child to cover the residents 24-hour needs. The local businesses – the Fish River Sun resort, Peddie retailers and the National Lottery have all helped to keep us going.

When you start a project, you must think day and night, “How can I make this work? Who can I talk to? How can I encourage these things to happen?” For instance, in those early years we would make toys and furniture out of cardboard. We had no resources at hand but we did have imagination and our skills.

Left: Caregiver Gladys Dlele with grandchild Asanda Dlele. Above: Lizzie Holane, director of Nomzamo Special Care Centre.

In our project, the parents are playing a very important role and it is good to get close to them. In our culture there are so many beliefs about why a child is disabled. You have to

explain and once they understand they will come to you for your advice and counsel. When that happens, you must be in a position to give that advice. It means you need to be well informed and prepared. When you don’t know the answer to a question, say, “I don’t know but will find out”. Another piece of advice is to think how the project can extend benefits to others in the community, either through employment, educational awareness or training. I learnt early on that it is not always wise to employ the parents of the residents. They must work with disabled children because they want to be a caregiver and are prepared to look after all the children in the centre, rather than come from one stressed situation to another. It is good to involve parents when there is a specific project to be done, like painting and maintenance, or when the garden needs work. It is better to give parents their freedom and engage them in voluntary work when you need them.

Picture: Karen Stockwell, VSA

My advice to anyone wanting to start a similar project is to first do their research. Is there really a need for what you want to do? There is no point starting something that is already existing in the community, unless you have a clear point of difference or are filling a gap in their service. Then ask, “Who will support me?” Finding the right people is very important, but even then you have to educate them. They have to really know what it is you have in mind and what the people’s needs are so that they can give you appropriate support. This means you have to visit the church organisations and chiefs in your area, and sell them an idea. To sell an idea you must make sure it is very clear and that it says exactly what it is you are going to do. If it is clear and memorable, you will find other stakeholders become an asset to you. They will then take the idea to other people.

• Start with research. • Explain your vision and ideas as simply as possible. Develop these into a short sales pitch. • Educate your board members and supporters. • Find ways to involve the community.

Sebenzisa ingqiqo yakho/ Sebenzisa ingqondo yakho Indlala isoloko inxulunyaniswa nokuzama ukuzuza imali. Kanti ingafaniswa nobunjani bemeko yobomi. Abantu abakhubazekileyo badinga ubomi obungconobabekwindawo ekhuselekileyo, kwindawo elungele impilo yabo nalapho imfuno zabo zemfundo zinokuthi zinakekelwe khona. Le yinjongo yakwa Nomzamo Special Care , umzi ogcina uze ulondoloze abahlali abangama 74 (ukusuka kwiminyaka emine ukuya kwengamashumi amane) abanemfuno okanye izidingo ezithe xhaxhe kunabanye. Le ndawo yakhiwe kwenye yelali zase Ngqushwa. Xa uqalisa iprojekthi kufuneka ucingisise kakuhle imini nobusuku: “ndingenza njani ukuze isebenze kakuhle lento? Ndingakhuthaza njani ukuba kwenzeke izinto ezithile?” Umzekelo, xa sasisaqala sasisenza izinto zokudlala kwakunye nefenitshala ngeekhalibhothi. Sasingenazinto zakusebenza esandleni kodwa umbono nobuchule sasinabo. Icebiso lam kuye nabanina ofuna ukuqalisa iprojekthi ekumila kunje,kukuba aqale enze uphando oluthe vetshe. Azibuze; Ingaba ngokwenene ikho imfuneko yale nto aceba ukuyenza? Kufuneka umntu azibuze ukuba ingaba ngubani na oza kumxhasa. Ukufumana abantu abalungele oku kokona kubalulekilyo, kodwa noxa kunjalo kumele ubafundise ngalo nto kuqala. Lento ke ithetha ukuba umele utyelele imibutho yeenkonzo ezisekuhlaleni uye nakwiinkosi zendawo yakho,

uzithengisele umbono wakho. Xa uzakuthengisa lo mbono ke kufuneka uze nento ecacileyo kwaye uqiniseke ukuba yile nto kanye uceba ukuyenza. Ukuba yinto ecacileyo kwaye ekulula ukuba ikhumbuleke, ungafumanisa ukuba abanye abaxhasi baba lulutho kuwe. Baze kamva bathathe lo mbono wakho bawuse nakwabanye abantu. Kwiprojekthi yethu abazali badlala indima ebalule kileyo kakhulu kwaye kulungile ukuba sisondelelane nabo. Ngokwenkolo yethu zininzi izinto ekukholelwa ukuba zingunobangela xa umntwana ethe wazalwa ekhubazekile. Kumele uchaze kakuhle, bathi ke xa sele beqonda kakuhle beze kuwe ukufumana amacebo. Kumele ke ukuba xa besiza kuwe ubacebise. Loo nto ke ithetha ukuba kufuneka uxhobe ufohlele ngolwazi uhlale uqulile. Xa ungayazi kakuhle impendulo kumbuzo othile ithi, “Andiyazi okwangoku kodwa ndiza kuhamba ndiye kuyiphanda loo nto”. Elinye icetyana endinalo kukucinga ukuba iprojekthi le ingaluncedo njani na kwabanye abantu abalapha ekuhlaleni, kungaba ngamathuba engqesho, ukuzisa ulwazi oluthile okanye mhlawumbi uqeqesho. Eli linge lifumene inkxaso mali kwisebe le Ofisi ye Nkulumbuso yephondo Lempuma Koloni elilwa indlala elaziwa ngokuba yi Premiers Poverty Alleviation Fund elawulwa yi Eastern Cape NGO Coalition, likwaxhaswa nangosomoshashini bengingqi kwakunye ne National Lottery

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Picture: Adele Broadbent, VSA

Having seen how sport can improve children’s lives and build their self esteem and leadership qualities, Thoko Mlonyeni formed Imvomvo Training and Management Services in 2001. Using mainly youth volunteers, Imvomvo’s Active Community Programme has now grown to encompass sport programmes in four communities, early-childhood centres, a field band, a senior citizen’s programme and a life skills and health education programme. Imvomvo is supported by Amathole District Municipality and a number of overseas funders.

I began by running a pilot programme. When that started to show success and communities got keen to keep it going, I decided to set up an NGO. I was advised that if I wanted to access funding from government or other funders, it was best to form an organisation and get registered. We registered Imvomvo as a Section 21 Company rather than a non-profit organisation on the advice of an accountant. It seemed that that way, the money would be of more benefit to the community. Then it was a matter of selling Imvomvo’s Active Community concept to different stakeholders. That was the greatest

Grow better every day

Imvomvo started because I was concerned about young people who had finished school and had nothing to do. I started talking about this with the Amathole District Municipality, and with teachers and rugby clubs to see if we could start a programme using something youth already knew about – skills they possessed. I knew about a programme in Tanzania, where unemployed youth volunteers worked with children to teach them sport that helped grow their self esteem and build relationships in the community. I thought perhaps it might work here. The feedback was that there was a real need and that the idea could work. However, in the beginning, some schools were not keen on the idea of working with what they thought might be “ruffians”.

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challenge. I realise now that I went about it the wrong way. I called the stakeholders together for one meeting without going to them first one by one to present the concept. It is important to sit with people, explain your ideas, assist in their understanding and listen to what they have to say. Once you have identified the people who like the idea, bring them together. They will be your supporters. Our main challenge at the beginning was to convince the Federations that we weren’t competing with them. We had to work hard to show them that we were focussing on children who were not necessarily good at sport and who were aged between 5 to16 – in other words, we had no intention of taking over their job. Our goal was to promote healthy lifestyles by encouraging a range of physical and social activities that would help bring communities together. Our other big challenge was getting and retaining the volunteers. Some people came because they thought it might lead to money. We had to do a lot of education and consultation. Between 2004 and 2006 we had 48 people who left us when they got jobs. Our attitude now is that it’s good if youth gain confidence and skills with us that leads them to getting work. We will even help them rehearse for an interview. Part of Imvomvo’s role is to capacitate them, make them feel more confident so that they can find work.

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We came to realise that being active doesn’t mean only being active through sport. We have a field band. We just opened a pre-school which now has 60 kids attending every day. We have a programme for pensioners where they garden, sew and take part in an exercise programme once a week. Our programme has to be educative, but we are sensitive as to the way we do it. For instance, we wanted to introduce HIV and AIDS education but there was quite a lot of stigma around that – people were scared to talk about it. So we included HIV and AIDS under a Health Education programme and got other experienced NGOs working in that field to assist us. People eventually started to feel comfortable and talk about HIV and AIDS, to the point now where they come to the mobile clinic that visits here regularly.

In everything we have done, we have learned that it has to be what the community wants, not what we want. We have shifted from being the organisation that starts the project to the being the organisation who supports people in starting up their Active Community project. Now we are a resource centre where people come to ask us for help. We want to integrate clubs into existing structures in communities so they are sustainable. We encourage the groups to start small. When we started we took on too much. It is important to have big plans, but roll them out slowly. When you start small it is also easier to get the support of local people in the area. We have been fortunate to have secured some good funders at the beginning, but that required us to learn how to write a proposal, how to do strategic planning, how to budget and all the other skills that were required to run an NGO. What has really helped us is on-the-job training, for instance using volunteers to train us while we work or asking funders or other stakeholders to spend time with them in their workplace to see how they do things. It is a very powerful way to train. We have a saying in our office: we must be better every day. Learning is a powerful thing, and we must continue learning new ways of doing things.

• Present your concept to stakeholders one-onone. • Listen to what people have to say. • Start small. • Find opportunities for on-the-job training. • Strive to be better each day.

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Ukuphucula ezentlalo ngendlela ezidlamkileyo Emveni kokuba ebone indlela imidlalo ephucula ngayo ubomi babantwana kwaye ibakhe babenokuzithemba kunjalonje de kuphuhle nezakhono abanazo zobunkokheli, uThoko Mlonyeni waye waseka umbutho woqeqesho obizwa ngokuba yi –Imvomvo ngomnyaka ka 2001. Besebenzisa kakhulu ulutsha, eli qela le –Imvomvo liye lakhula kakhulu kuphuhliso lwezemidlalo kwindawo ezine, indawo zokugcina abantwana abancinci, iqela lentambulo, ikqubo yokufundisa abadala, izakhono zokumelana nobomi kwakunye nokufundiswa ngezempilo. I-imvomvo le ixhaswe ngumasipala wase Amathole kwakunye nabanye abaxhasi baphesheya kweelwandle. Ndandisazi ngenkqubo eyayisenziwa eTanzania, apho ulutsha olungaphangeliyo lwalusebenza njengamavolontiya lufundisa abantwana ezemidlalo nto leyo eyabanceda bakhula ukuzithemba bakwazi nokwakha ubuhlobo ekuhlaleni. Ndacinga ukuba le nto ingasebenza nalapha. Ndaqalisa ngokuqhuba inkqubo yam yokuqala. Ithe ke leyo isakubonisa impumelelo nabahlali babanomdla wokuba siqhubekeke. Ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiqalise umbutho ozimeleyo. Ndacetyiswa ukuba ukuze ndifumane uncedo kurhulumente okanye abanye nje abaxhasi kungcono ndiqale umbutho obhalisiweyo ngokusemthethweni. Bekufuneka ke ndithengise izimvo ze Imvomvo kumaziko ahlukeneyo. Lo ke yayingowona mngeni. Ndaqala ndabona

ukuba le nto ndiyenze ngendlela engeyiyo. Ndawabizela entlanganisweni ndawonye onke la maziko ndingakhange ndithethe nabo ngombono lo. Kubalulekile ukuhlala phantsi nabantu uyichaze kakuhle imibono yakho, ubancedise baqonde kakuhle uze ke uve ukuba bazakuphefumla bathini. Xa sele ubaqonda ukuba ngobani na abantu abawuthakazelelayo umbono lo, badibanise abo. Abo ke iyakuba ngabaxhasi bakho. Omnye umngeni ebesinawo ibikukufumana amavolontiya nokuwagcina ekho. Abanye abantu beza kuba babethembe ukuba le nto iza kubangenisela imali. Kwaye kwafuneka sifundisile kakhulu, sibaqononondise ngenjongo yethu. Kuyo yonke into esiyenzileyo, sifunde ukuba kumele senze le nto abahlali bayifunayo, hayi efunwa sithi. Ngoku siyindawo yolwazi apho abantu beza kufuna uncedo kho na. Sifuna ukukhula sibengamaqela akhoyo apha ekuhlaleni ukuze sibenenkxaso. Sikhuthaze ukuba la maqela mawaqale ngamalungu ambalwa, xa sasiqala thina satsho ngamanani amakhulu. Kubalulekile ukuba nemibono emikhulu ngekamva kodwa kufuneka uqalise ungangxamanga. Sinesaci sethu ke apha e-ofisini esithi: kufuneka sibe ngcono mihla le. Ukufunda yinto enamandla kakhulu, kwaye ke kufuneka siqhubekeke sifunda iindlela ezintsha zokwenza izinto.

SPORT AND DEVELOPMENT – WHAT’S THE CONNECTION? (Isi-Xhosa, page 115) • Improves the health of the community. • Creates opportunities for friendship and fun. • Develops a culture of commitment and teamwork. • Builds leadership qualities. • Teaches youngsters how to strategise and plan.

• Gives an opportunity for communities to come together in a unified way (showing support for their home team). • Creates small business opportunities for people who sell wares or provide services on the sidelines. • Builds a community’s social capital – a key ingredient for development.

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The Eastern Cape NGO Coalition is promoting a development approach called Eyabantu Ngabantu (for the people, by the people).

Yes we can!

he stories in this book prove that people have the power to achieve amazing things with an idea and the passion to follow it through. It shows that people benefit from working collectively, drawing on each other’s skills, energy and ideas.

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Eyabantu Ngabantu starts the development process from a completely different position to the ‘needs-based’ approach, used in a lot of development work. The needs-based approach asks, “What are we missing?” Eyabantu Ngabantu, which is based on the asset-based approach and transformative development philosophy, starts by asking, “How can we use and build upon what we already have to bring about the development we want in our community?” It focuses attention on the strengths of communities including their stories, knowledge, innovations, talents, associations, networks, local institutions, physical and natural resources, financial resources, cultural assets, rights, claims and entitlements and resourcefulness. In Eyabantu Ngabantu terms, even unemployment is an asset that can be used to work for development, because it means there are people with time and energy to put to use. Everyone in an organisation or community has something to contribute. Eyabantu Ngabantu calls for communities to look first, within themselves, before depending on outsiders to address their development.

Look at what you have Eyabantu Ngabantu starts with people talking together, sharing some of the things they have achieved in their own lives, within their family, at work, or in the community. Then people work together to look at all the ‘assets’ they possess. A good way to do this is to consider what assets are available by looking at the Head, Hand, Heart and Hip assets. Head: List all the assets related to the group or community’s knowledge, experience, creativity, professional and business skills etc. Hand: Think about the physical skills and capabilities people have. Heart: This is about the depth of feelings and personal strengths of the community and the individuals within it. It includes such things as empathy, commitment, trust, caring etc. Hip: List all the groups and individuals in the community or further afield who are (or might be) useful connections. Once you’ve done this exercise you can look at the physical assets in the community – the buildings, machinery, roads, tools, equipment, natural resources (such as soil, trees or scenery) – that could also be used to your advantage.

What assets are leaking out of the community? Next, you look at what assets and opportunities are being taken out of the community. Bread being bought from a neighbouring community or from further away means money is leaking out of the community. For example, the money used to buy the bread and the transport money used to get to the shop could have been kept within the community, if only someone locally made bread.

EYABANTU NGABANTU: FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE Four important questions describe the appreciative development process: • Who are we?

• What assets do we have?

• What do we want to achieve? • How do we use want to go?

what we’ve got to get to where we

What is the information telling you? When you look at all these assets, what can you see? Where do they lead you in terms of using them for the advantage of the community? Be open to ideas from everyone. What’s most important is to stay focussed on what you, as a community, can achieve together. Where to next? Set objectives and develop a plan. Link your assets to what needs to be done to turn your dream into reality. Make things happen!

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Intshayelelo

eki nganye iqumrhu lophuhliso-ntlalo luye luqalise kwindawo ethile kweli le Mpuma-Koloni. Ubutyebi ke bokufunda kula maqumrhu- ngezifundo eziye zifunyanwe ngabantu ngaphambi kokuba asekwe buye bungathathelwa ngqalelo. Le ncwadana igxile ekunikeni izwi kula maqumrhu okanye iiprojekthi ukuze kuhambe umyalezo ongaba luncedo nakwabanye abantu.

emibutho engekho phantsi korhulumente, eyasekuhlaleni kunye neyezeenkolo apha eMpuma Koloni, kodwa ke isekho eminye imibuthwana engabhaliswanga ndawo.

Asingawo onke amaqumrhu akule ncwadi athe aba yimpumelelo, abantu abakula maqumrhu basajongene neengxaki, kwaye ezinye inkqubo ziye zingahambeli ndawo, mhlawumbi ngenxa yezemali, ezentlalo okanye uxinzelelo kwezo politiko. Kodwa ke eyona nto ibalulekilyo ngenkxaso yabo lulangazelelo nokuthobeka kwamacebo abo athembekileyo. Kwakhona ke le ncwadi izama ukubonisa ngamacebo athe afumaneka kula maqumrhu nangendlela abathi bazise izixhobo zokusebenza kwabanye abantu nakwezinye iindawo ezifuna ukuqala amaqumrhu akwanjalo.

Isebe le Eastern Cape Provincial Growth and Development Plan (EC PGDP) libabaza inkuseleko yokutya njengeyona nto ibalulekileyo kwisixhenxe kubantu abalishumi abaphila ngendlala. Usapho olukwazi ukuzondla ngokusempilweni, ngokutya okunezondlo kuzala impilo engcono yomntu ngamnye nokuphuhla kokufunda kwabantwana. Inkuseleko ngokudla iphembelela kwintlala-kahle yabantu. Ngenxa yoku kukhankanyiweyo uzakubona ugxininiso lokubaluleka kokhuseleko lokudla kule ncwadi.Noxa lo mba ugxile ekubeni abantu bazondle ngokwabo ikhangeleka ngathi ingalula, amabali akule ncwadi aza kubonisa ukuba akunjalo. Ukunqongophala kwamanzi yenye yezona zinto ziba ngumngeni kwilali ezininzi zeli le Mpuma Koloni. Ukugcina abantu benothakazelelo kwezo limo kusoloko kuyingxaki ngakumbi xa abantu bengafumani mvuzo ngokwemizamo yabo.

Eli phondo le Mpuma-Koloni lilikhaya kubantu abamalunga ne 6.9 million. Malunga ne 4.3 yabo ithwaxwa yindlala, ifumana umvuzo ongaphantsi kwama R800 ngenyanga. Amashumi amane anesihlanu ekhulwini eepesenti awafumani kwamvuzo lowo. (PGDP Progress Report, 2009) Urhulumente eyedwa akangeze akwazi ukuzisombulula zonke iingxaki ezithwaxa ezindawo. Uluntu ngokubanzi lumele lube nenxaxheba luncedise ngokumandla. Imibutho engajonge nzuzo, njengenxenye yoluntu, idlala indawo ebalulekilyo ukulwa indlala, ngokukhulu ngenxa yolangazelelo lwabo, ukuzinikela nokuba nombono, kwakunye namacebo abathi baze nawo ukulwa ezingxaki kwindawo abahlala kuzo.

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Isebe lezophuhliso loluntu ( Department of Social Development) libhengeze ukuba sele libhalise ama 4820

Siyiqhwabela izandla yonke ke le migudu yenziwa ngabantu ukuseka le mibutho, abo bathe bafinyeza imikhono baqhubekeka nophuhliso. Uzakuhlangana nabantu abanjalo ke kule ncwadi.

Omnye umba esiza kugxininisa kuwo kule ncwadi ngowabantu abanamaqumrhu engeniso -phantse isiqingathata soluntu lweMpuma Koloni alufumani mvuzo, ze abangaphezu kwama 22 epesenti baphila kumvuzo ongaphantsi kwama R800 ngenyanga. Amabali akule ncwadi abubungqina bothakazelelo lo msebenzi ekuphumezeni imibutho ezakuthi izise imivuzo. Kubalulekile ukuba nobuchule kwezorhwebo, ukwazi ukuba ikhona indawo yokuthengisa izinto, nokugcinwa kakuhle kweencwadi, ukuqondisisa ngenzuzo eyiyo, ilahleko kwakunye nokongamela okusetyenziweyo.

Yenziwa njani ke le nkqubo ye SWOT?

Sikwanikezele ngendawo ekuncomeni umsebenzi ogqamileyo owenziwe yimibutho yokuhlala ezisa imisebenzi kuluntu jikelele kwindawo abakuzo, abalondolozi bamakhaya, abantu abasebenza neenkedama kwakunye nabantwana abangakhuselekanga, abafundisa abasaqalayo kwanabo bondla abalambileyo. Wonke umsebenzi owenziwayo oncomekayo kweli le Mpuma –Koloni wenziwa ngokuzivolontiya. Onke ke la maqumrhu alapha aphunyezwe, kodwa hayi onke, ngokudibene ne Ofisi yeNkulumbuso yephondo Lempuma Koloni, elawulwa liqumrhu le zezindlu zenkosi— Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, I Eastern Cape Council of Churches, kwakunye ne Eastern Cape NGO Coalition. Amanye asuka kwiRu-Liv kwakunye ne Ikhala Trust, ezi ziprojects eziye zaphandla amehlo ethu. Singathanda ukubulela bonke abantu abathe bachitha ixesha labo basixelela ngemibutho yabo, basabela nangamacebiso. Siye sadibana ke namalungu amaninzi ale mibutho, kwaye noxa lamabali ebaliswa ‘ngelizwi elinye’, kodwa ayinxalenye yabantu abaninzi. Sithemba ukuba amacebiso abo ayancedisa kwimigudu eyenziwayo yokutshatyalaliswa kwendlala kweli leMpuma Koloni. Margaret Kusambiza Umphathi, Eastern Cape NGO Coalition.

Le nkqubo ye SWOT ingakunceda ukwazi ukuqonda amandla, ubuthathaka, amathuba kwakunye nezinto ezinokuthibaza iprojekthi yenu ingaphumeleli. Ubani angayiqhuba le nkqubo ye SWOT rhoqo ukuncedisana nokuba nibone amathuba anokuvela okanye iingxaki ekumele nizilindele. Ukwenza le nkqubo rhoqo kunganceda ukubona ubuthathaka kwakunye namandla eninawo kwiphulo eli, kwaye incede ukuba ningamelana njani na neengxaki ezinokuphazamisa impumelelo yenu. Nantsi imibuzo omele uzibuze yona:

Amandla

Ubuthathaka

• Yintoni eniyenza kakuhle kulo mbutho wenu?

• Yintoni enokwenza ukuba umbutho lo wenu ungaphumeleli?

• Zintoni eninazo ezinokuphuhliswa ze zincede ukukhula kombutho lo wenu? • Yintoni enime ngayo enicinga ukuba ingawuphumelelisa umbutho wenu?

• Yintoni eninokuziphucula kuyo njengombutho? • Yintoni into abantu abangaphandle abanokuyibona njengobuthathaka kumbutho wenu?

Amathuba

Izithintelo/izityhafiso

• Ingaba akho amathuba okanye imiba ebonakalayo apho lo mbutho onokuthi uthathe khona inxaxheba ukuziphuhlisa?

• Zintoni enizibona ukuba ingaba ziingxaki kwixesha elizayo ezinokuchaphazela umbutho wenu?

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Yintoni isicwangciso sonyaka? Isicwangciso sonyaka siqulethe izinto oceba ukuzenza ziphumelele kwakunye nendlela ongaziphumeza ngayo. Sikwaqwalasela ngakumbi ingeniso kwakunye nenkcitho kwilinge elo, lize lijongane nazo zonke iingxaki ezingaphakathi okanye ezingaphandle ezinokuthintela ukuba nikwazi ukuphumeza injongo yenu. Isicwangciso sonyaka esisiso sikwachaza nokuba ngubani omele enze ntoni, sinika nemihla ekumele ukuba umsebenzi ngamnye ube sele ugqityiwe. Ubunye, Ubuntu nentlalo-ntle/ imvisiswano Iingcali kwezophuhliso-ngakumbi abanikisi ngemali bathetha ngokubaluleka kwemvisiswano ukuze kubekho uphuhliso olululo. Zikwaqiniseka ukuba imvisiswano ekuhlaleni yeyona nto ingundoqo ekuphumeleleni kwelinge lase kuhlaleni. Le mvisiswano ke iquka ubungakanani bokuvana, ukuthembana kwakunye nokusebenza ngokumanyeneyo kwabahlali okanye elo qela lithile libandakanyeka kwilinge elo.

Qhuba olu phando nabantu abalungele oko,hayi nje izihlobo zakho , uyiphonononge kakuhle nengxelo yophando lwakho, kumele uvelele iinkalo zokwenene ungathwetyulwa liphunga nje. Yenza abahlali bathathe inxaxheba Ukuze abahlali bazibandakanye kwasekuqaleni neeprojekthi eziqalayo kufuneka baphula-phule kakuhle. Indawo esihlala kuzo ziquka abadala, abancinci, abafazi, amadoda, abafundileyo kanti kwanabo bangafundanga., iinkokheli zokuhlala, abefundisi beenkonzo, abaphangelayo kwanabangaphangeliyo. Abahlali ke kufuneka bezimele zonke ezi ndidi zabantu. Kuthetha ukuthini ukuba noxanduva?

Ilizwi malunga nezentengiso

Ukuba noxanduva kuthetha ukubanomthwalo ngento oyenzayo okanye ubenoxanauva ngesosixa semali osifumeneyo. Kukwathetha ukuba kumele uchaze konke enikwenzileyo ngemali ngendlela ethembekileyo necacileyo.

Masithi indawo ohlala kuyo okanye iprojekthi yakho iceba ukwenza into ethile. Kufuneka uzibuze kuqala ukuba ingaba wonke umntu uzakuyithenga na? Ukuba akukho mntu uza kuyithenga lo nto, iprojekthi yenu ayisayi kuze ingenise mali akukhathaliseki nokuba ningasebenza nzima kangakanani na.

Zinto zini ekumele ube nazo xa useka umgaqo siseko?

Le nto icacisa ukuba inyathelo lokuqala nakweliphina iphulo kukwenza uphando olululo. Zibuze ukuba xa sithi senze, sikhulise sizise ezi nkonzo okanye ezi zinto ngubani oza kuzithenga, ngamalini okanye angazithenga ixesha elingakanani kwaye bengahlawula ntoni ngazo? Kufuneka ucinge ukuba izinto ezi zithengiswayo ziza kufikelelela njani kumthengi, kwaye kungabiza malini ukuzisa kuye.

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yintoni eza kubangela ukuba bathenge kuwe, bangathengi komnye lowa?

Kufuneka ujonge nokhuphiswano olukhoyo- ingaba ukho omnye umntu othengisa oluhlobo lwemveliso, ukuba kunjalo,

Ukuba noxanduva kukwathetha ukuba umele ukwazi ukumelana neengxaki ukuba kuthe kwakho into engahambi kakuhle njengoko bekulindelwe.

Umgaqo siseko uchaza imiqathango ekufuneka umbutho ulawulwe ngayo. Kuhle ukuba niwenze kwasekuqaleni, kuba inceda wonke umntu othatha inxaxheba abe noxanduva ayiqonde kakuhle injongo ephambili yeprojekthi, ukuba izinto zihamba njani nokuba izigqibo ziza kwenziwa njani. Kumele ubize wonke umntu ahlomle xa kuyilwa lo mgaqo. Thethani intetho evakalayo kubantu bonke, kubalulekile ukuba bonke abantu bayiqonde into ethethwa ngumgaqo siseko. Ziliqela ke izinto ekufuneka niziqondile.

Le yimiqathango elandelwa yimibutho ezimeleyo engekho phantsi kuka rhulumente ngokommiselo ka 1997. • Igama lombutho • Injongo eziphambili zawo • Indlela ekuza kuhlawulwa ngayo nendlela iinkonzo eziza kuqhutywa ngayo. • Qinisekisani ukuba amalungu aphambili awanalungelo lokwenza nantoni nje kuba bengamalungu • Qinisekisani ngemithetho namandla ombutho • Chazani ukuba uza kulawulwa njani umbutho • Misani imithetho yokulawula iintlanganiso zenu • Indlela enizakuthatha ngayo izigqibo • Umhla wokugqibela wokusebenza enyakeni ngokwakuni • Umqathango othile wokutshintsha umgaqo • Indlela ethile engapheliswa ngayo iprojekthi • Gqibani kwelithi ukuba iprojekthi ingapheliswa, zonke izinto zayo ezibalulekileyo mazinikwe enye iprojekthi eyenza umsebenzi okwanje ngalo wenu. Indlela ezahlukeneyo zokulima‘Isitiya okanye igadi ifana nomntwana, kumele umondle umntwana njalo, xa egula naxa ephilile. Ixesha ngalinye lahlukile kwelinye. Ezi gadi zisoloko zilapha phambi kwakho ngalo lonke ixesha. Naxa ubuye kade emsebenzini, igadi yakho unakho ukuyibona. Yiyo loo nto ndicinga ukuba kungcono ukulima ekhaya.’ Vuyo Mtiya, Agricultural field officer, MATAT EDA – Environment and Development Agency Keyhole Gardens - Ezi luhlobo lweegadi ezincinane ezenziwa kakhulu ukulungela abantu abadala. Zenziwa nje ngezinto zemvelo ezifana nebhaskithi ezenziwe ngemizi ezithi zilahlwe kuyo ukuze zivunde xa kuthe kwamana kugalelwa amanzi, amaxolo okutya njalo-njalo. Olu hlobo lwegadi luqala lube

ngathi ngumsele, ofakwe iitoti phaya ezantsi. Ngaphezulu kubekwe imizi emininzi, kulandeliswe ngothuthu. Umgquba kwakunye nomhlaba uye ugalelwe apha emacaleni omsele lo. Family hydroponic tunnels - Oluhlobo lokulima lwenziwa ngabantu ngaphandle komhlaba. Izityalo ziye zifakwe kwizingxotyana zeplastiki ezinamanzi okanye kwingxowana ezincinane ekuthi kugalelwe kuzo amatye amancinci okanye umhlaba obuntlabathi. La manzi ke azele zizichumiso zomhlaba, kwaye kuba esi sityalo singazikusokola sizifunele izondlo ngokwaso siye sikhawuleze ukukhula. Into eyingxaki ngolu hlobo lokulima kukuba abantu kufuneka bethenge la manzi anongiweyo ngezondlo zomhlaba nekungekho lula ukuzifumana apha eMzantsi Afrika. Permaculture - Olu uhlobo lokulima lugxile kakhulu kwindlela elula abantu abangalima bazuze isivuno ngayo. Icebiso lika Phikisile Zondani we Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa lithi umntu angawasebenzisa amanzi okuhlamba ankcenkceshele ngawo, angathengi mgquba koko asebenzise umgquba osebuhlanti. Endaweni yokuthenga izibulala zinambuzane angatyala izityalo ezifana ne marigold, igalikhi nefeneli ecaleni kwemifuno yakhe kuba ivumba lezo zityalo ligxotha izinambuzane eziyingozi. Door plot gardens - Ezi igadi zithiywe ngolu hlobo kuba zenziwa zilingane nocango. Kungatshiwo nokuthi ngumsele nje. Le misele iyagrunjwa kuze kwandlalwe iikhalibhoti okanye iitoti phaya emazantsi, ngaphezulu ibengumhlaba, umgquba, nezinye izinto njalo-njalo. Ekugqibeleni ke kuphindwe kugalelwe umhlaba lo kuza kutyalwa kuwo. Imibungu ke iyathanda ukwenza amakhaya azo kwindawo ezinje, ngalo ndlela ke ibe ichumisa lo mhlaba kwaye kwindawo enje izityalo zikhula kakuhle.

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Mulching - Olu uhlobo lokuchumisa umhlaba lwenziwa ngokuthi ubeke nantoni apha phezu komhlaba ukugcina ukufuma komhlaba nokunqanda ukuba kungakhuli olunye ukhula. Le nto ungayenza ngokubeka ikhalibhothi, okanye iphephandaba. Indlu eluhlaza - Kwenziwa indlu eluhlaza apha ngamalaphu neeplastiki ibenamacala amane. Elinye icala lenziwa ngelaphu elisithileyo. Ebusika ibhotile zeplastiki ziye zenze kube shushu phantsi kwale ntente ze ke zikhule kakuhle izityalo. Kodwa ke xa kusehlotyeni kuba shushu kakhulu, ngoko ke izityalo ziye zigcinwe kweli cala lenziwe ngelaphu ukuzinika umthunzi.

Iqalwa njani igadi yasekuhlaleni? Ingaba niceba ukuqala igadi yoluntu? Ingcebiso ngokuka Vuyo Mtiya Igosa lezolimo lase MATAT-EDA • Yenzani umgaqo siseko oluqilima, nifake abantu ababonakalisa ukuzimisela • Cingani ngokuba umntu uza kuhlawula ntoni ukuze abe lilungu • Yibani nomhlaba eniza kulima kuwo • Umhlaba lo kufuneka ubiyiwe • Qinisekisani ukuba ninawo amanzi • Igadi zase kuhlaleni kufuneka zilinywe kuqala, emva koko ke ningazi sebenza ngemihlakulo njalo njalo • Cingani ke ukuba umzi ngamnye uza kuba neploti yawo na okanye niza kudibana nonke kwiploti enkulu. • Thengani izityalo zenu kwindawo ephucukileyo.Funani amacebo okukhulisa izityalo kubantu abanolwazi • Funani uqeqesho olululo, nicele amacebo kubantu abanolwazi

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Ukwakha ulwalamano Eligama lithetha ukwahlulelana ngemibono kwakunye nendlela enenza ngayo izinto, ukuthembana nokuzinikela,ngoko ke kumele amaqela acacelwe kakuhle xa kufikwa kule miba. Kufuneka nibe nento ebhaliweyo, i-memorandam, echaza ngezinto enifuna ukuziphumelela, kwaye yeyiphi indima ekufuneka idlalwe ngumntu ngamnye, nokuthi ulwalamano okanye ubuhlobo obu nibakhileyo buya kuphela nini. Lo mbhalo wenu ke mawuchaze ukuba niza kunxibelelana njani, nini kwakunye nemihla enihlangana ngayo. Kubalulekile ukwazi ukuba ezintlangano zenziwa ngabantu abazimo zingafaniyo loo nto ithetha ukuba kufuneka ninoxanduva lokuziphatha ngobunono intlangano zenu. Kufuneka ninawo nomqathango ochaza ukuba zingasonjululwa njani ingxabano. Ukugcina ulungelelwano Eyona nto ingundoqo kuzo zonke iiprojekthi kukugcina ukwabiwa komsebenzii kulingana kwakunye nengeniso phakathi kwabasebenzi. Iiprojekthi xa ziqala kubakho ithemba lokuba wonke umntu uza kuzixhasa kodwa ke ngelishwa abantu banemo eyahlukileyo yokwenza izinto, lonto yenze kubekho ukubhidana kwemibono yokusebenza.Ngaphezu koko ukuzibandakanya kwiprojekthi kunika ithemba , abantu ke baye bafune ukungena bengakhange baqonde ukuba kufuneka bezinikele kangakanani ukuze iprojekthi iphumelele. Oku kunqongophala kolwazi ekuqaleni kungabanga impixwano nonxunguphalo ekuhambeni kwexesha. Ezinye indlela ke zokugcina abantu benomdla bekhuthele kukubanika imivuzo ethe xhaxhe abo bagqwesileyo, kubekho ukhuphiswano namabhaso kuvuzwe lowo ubenegadi entle okanye enkulu kunabanye.

Imidlalo kwakunye nophuhliso- zidibana njani ezi zinto? • Ziphucula impilo kubahlali • Ziveza amathuba okwakha ubuhlobo nolonwabo • Zikhulisa umkhwa wokuzinikela nokusebenza kunye • Zikhulisa izakhono zobunkokheli • Zifundisa ulutsha iindlela zokuceba nokucwangcisa izinto • Zinika abahlali amathuba okuba babe ndawonye • Zivula amathuba okuthengisa kubantu abanalo mbono • Zakha imo yezemali kubahlali-eyona nto ingundoqo kwezophuhliso

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Icebiso 1. Thanda into esiyenzayo, ukuba uyayithanda into oyenzayo uzakuphumelela. (Mawethu) 2. Zikhawulele ingxaki ezivukayo kwilinge zingekakhuli zibenkulu zinixake. (Mawethu) 3. Sukoyika ukuqala amanye amalinge kodwa yiba nesiqiniseko sokuba asidobalalisi ilinge lakho okulo koko liyancedisa. (Masiphakame) 4. Yakhani umanyano kwaye nihloniphane. (Nqabara) 5. Sebenzisani isicwangciso sonyaka. (Nqabara) 6. Umntu makayazi into afanele ukuyenza. (Nqabara) 7. Yenza uphando olwaneleyo ngelilinge uzakulenza. (Wawa) 8. Yiba nesicwangciso esicacileyo. (Wawa) 9. Qiniseka ukuba ikhona imfuno yalento iphethwe lilinge lakho. (Wawa) 10. Funda kangangoko unako. (Impumelelo) 11. Yenza into efunwa ngabahlali â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bayeke bakukhokhele kulento uzakuyenza nicebisane ukuba uzakuyenzanjani yaye bakucebise ukuba kuyabhatalwa ,kubhatalwa malini. (Tshwaranang) 12. Yithande into oyenzayo ukuba ufuna ukuzifezekisa injongo zakho. (Ikhwezi) 13. Phanda imfuno yalento uzakuyenza. (Ikhwezi) 14. Khangela abaxhasi kuento uyenzayo. (Ikhwezi) 15. Gcina incwadi unikezele ingxelo ngemali oyinikiweyo. (Ikhwezi) 16. Yazi into ofuna ukuyenza ube nesizathu sokuba ufuna ukwenza lonto. (Machubeni) 17. Yiba nesicwangciso somsebenzi wakho. Ukuba awuwucwangcisi umsebenzi wakho, uazkuyazi njani ukuba mawuqale phi? (Machubeni) 18. Zinikele-njengesiqu nanje ngeqela. (Machubeni) 19. Umtu mayibe luxanduva lwakhe into yokufunda. (Temba) 20. Qokelela ingcaciso eyaneleyo ngento oyenzayo wandule ukuyenza. (Mejine) 21. Yenza okulindelwe ngabathengi bakho. (Masakhane) 22. Zihloniphe iinkokheli zakho zemveli. (Masakhane)

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23. Zikhawulele ingxaki ezivukayo kwilinge zingekakhuli zibenkulu zinixake. (Emmanuel Haven) 24. Yimani kumbono ebeninawo. (Ubuntu) 25. Wuthengiseni kakuhle umbono wenu. (Ubuntu) 26. Yakhani amaqhina obuhlobo aluqilima. (Ubuntu) 27. Yakha ubudlelwana obuhle ekuhlaleni jikelele. (Ubuntu) 28. Kholelwa kwinto oyenzayo. (Sinikuthando) 29. Kubalulekile ukuba xa unelinge,uzigcine kakuhle incwadi zakho zezimali. (Community Health and Welfare - CHW) 30. Iincwadi ezo kufuneka zibonise ukuba imali oyinikiweyo uyisebenzise kakuhle. (CHW) 31. Yiba nemifanekiso ebonisa umsebenzi wakho. (CHW) 32. Kwinto nganye makubekho incwadi yabantu abazileyo. (CHW) 33. Xa uza kuqala umbutho yazi into oyifunayo. (CHW) 34. Funa imfuno zabahlali ukuze wenze loo nto bayifunayo. (CHW) 35. Bandakanya ooceba basekuhlaleni. (CHW) 36. Ukuba ucingisise kakuhle ungayiqala into ungenanto. (CHW) 37. Qala ngophando. (Nomzamo) 38. Yichaze ngokucacileyo imibono onayo. Yenze le nto ibesisiqendwana esincinci onokusithengisa lula. . (Nomzamo) 39. Wafundise kakuhle amalungu akho kwanabo bakuxhasayo. . (Nomzamo) 40. Zama indlela zokuba nabantu bokuhlala babandakanyeke. (Nomzamo) 41. Thengisa umbono wakho. (Imvomvo) 42. Phula phula ukuba abantu bathini. (Imvomvo) 43. Qalisa kancinane. (Imvomvo) 44. Jonga amathuba oqeqesho usebenza. (Imvomvo) 45. Zama ukuba wenze ngcono mihla le. (Imvomvo)

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Useful Contacts Ru-Liv

Phone: 043 704 8800 Fax: 043 704 8822/1 Email: info@ruliv.org.za Website: www.ruliv.org.za

Eastern Cape Council of Churches Phone: 043 743 6662/3 Fax: 043 743 6689 Email: ecpcc@mail.ngo.za Website: www.ecpcc.co.za

Ikhala Trust

Phone: 041 585 0970/084 287 9585 Fax: 041 582 1425 Email: ikhala_admin1@telkomsa.net Website: http//ikhala.org.za

Premiers Office

Phone: 040 609 6400 Fax: 040 635 1166 Email: Nolwando.Stofile@otp.ecprov.gov.za Website: www.ecprov.gov.za

Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council (ECSECC) Phone: 043 701 3400 Fax: 043 721 2704 Email: info@ecsecc.org Website: www.ecsecc.org

Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders

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Phone: 040 609 2847/41 Fax: 040 635 0599 Website: www.ecphtl.gov.za

There is a lot that can be learnt from community-driven development projects in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. No matter how small or basic the project might appear, the fact that a group of people have come together to make something happen in their community produces experiences and lessons others can learn from. This book asks people involved in 17 different development projects to share their advice with others. The result is a powerful checklist of 45 tips. The voices you hear are direct from the people themselves, in a series of minimally-edited interviews coordinated by Eastern Cape NGO Coalition staff. ECNGOC has added basic ‘howto’ tips to give clarity and extra information, as needed. The book ends with a chapter on Eyabantu Ngabantu (for the people, by the people), an appreciative development approach promoted by the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition. The spirit of eyabantu ngabantu is demonstrated by many of the projects featured here.

Eastern Cape NGO Coalition, Pstnet 227, Private Bag X9063, East London 5200, South Africa. Tel: 043 726 4014 Fax: 086 622 4780 Email: info@ecngoc.co.za Website: www.ecngoc.co.za