Organisation teaches farming skills to young people in the community and ensure the community does not go to bed with empty stomachs.
Siyazakha farming programme was established in 2007 by 15 members of the Mdantsane community. The main founder, previously a teacher in Mdantsane, mobilised 20 Junior Primary Schools in the township of Mdantsane where there was a high rate of orphaned and vulnerable children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.
The organisation has built a strong link with the Department of Social Development, Health, and Agriculture. Siyazakha has formed a relationship with community representatives, churches and is a service provider supported by the Department of Labour. The organisation has now expanded with functional board members, caregivers and a co-ordinating team.
Siyazakha provides the following services:
- Home Community Based Care
- Counselling
- Identification of orphans and vulnerable children, child headed families, future foster
- Parents’ and families in need
- School food garden
- Income generation project
More than half of the population in Mdantsane, especially the youth and the elderly, who often look after their grandchildren, are at risk of HIV/AIDS through rape, the use of drugs and unsafe sex. There is a low literacy rate heightened with school- drop outs, crime and the use of guns by children as young as 13 years old.
With the high scourge of socio-economic issues, Siyazakha established the Sizayakha support group inclusive of at least 20 NGO groups working in the area. However, it remains that more intervention strategies are needed to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The organisation has introduced a new programme inclusive of knitting, sewing and crocheting in an attempt to teach new skills to the Community.
Siyazakha has identified the following problems:
- High incidents of referrals from Mdantsane schools to Siyazakha HIV/AIDS Support Group about sick children, emotionally and psychologically disturbed due to trauma at home, frequent absence from school due to poverty and taking care of their sick parents.
- High incidents of school drop outs and teenage pregnancy. The issue of school drop outs due to pregnancy is high and is always discussed in community meetings.
- High incidents of orphans and vulnerable children in the community. Siyazakha discovered that additional support group programmes are overwhelmed by the rising number of deaths and orphaned children
Factors for solutions and sustainability:
- Siyazakha will seek funding nationally and internationally to finance their projects and additional support groups.
- They will reach out for donations and sponsorship across the country.
- They will recruit unemployed persons from the community for training and development skills such as: agriculture and poultry.