In the Gauteng township of Sebokeng, young people are not only using a small portion of land to feed their community, but also to turn painful memories into good ones. The group of changemakers at Vaal Youth Antivirus, a non-profit, have had remarkable success on a former dumping site.
Sebokeng, near Vanderbijlpark, is divided into 21 zones. It is in zone 14 that participants have grown a blanket of agricultural crops where once blood flowed. The dumping site once was a hotspot for violent attacks and robberies. It is also where, a few years ago, a child was found dead after falling into an open pit.
These challenges inspired them to start cleaning the dumping site.
“We decided to combine as the youth so that such things should never happen again,” communications officer of the project, Binele Motloung, tells Food For Mzansi. “However, we later thought, ‘What would happen after the site is cleaned? What would stop such bad things from happening again?’”
The solution, he says, was an agricultural park on just seven hectares.
Growing township economy
With no permission from the local municipality to utilise the dumping site, the members of Vaal Youth Antivirus nonetheless slowly, but surely transformed it into a vegetable garden.
Their aim, Motloung explains, was also to grow the township economy. “We are in a neighbourhood where the unemployment rate is high. So, we believe that agriculture is important in addressing unemployment and poverty.”
After establishing a food garden in 2018 and eventually getting the local municipality’s buy-in, Motloung and his friends decided to come up with an agricultural programme that would attract young people.
They struggled, however. “Young people weren’t interest in farming. They were sceptical about joining us. That’s when we decided to source role models who could inspire the youth.”
Members of the newly formed Mothers in Agriculture project was sent for agricultural training. According to Motloung, the group of women were a source of inspiration to the youth of Sebokeng.
Recently, AgriSETA partnered with them by sponsoring the further education of 15 of its young members. This is to expand their knowledge about the agricultural sector with the hope that they will, in turn, train others in Sebokeng.
Soon the youth will also be cultivating their piece of land alongside the group of women, Motloung says.
The food that is currently grown are donated to the Thusong project’s feeding scheme. This programme seeks to help community members who struggle with access to food and depend on social grants.
“One of our biggest contributors usually comes and gives away hampers to low-income households. We give them these vegetables to feed themselves. Some of the veggies, a small portion of it, go to the mothers tending to the garden.”
Tough road ahead
According to Motloung, community members have been embracing the agricultural initiative. Others, however, still try to cause division because of their personal interests.
“But they are not much of a problem. They are getting used to the idea and seeing what we are trying to do. It is not discouraging but encouraging. It proves to us that there is purpose in what we are doing,” Motloung says.
Their goal is to expand the little agricultural park to create local employment. “In the near future, we also want to be able to supply local markets and others that are surrounding Sebokeng.”
But a lot of work still awaits the youth-led non-profit.
“Currently, we are working on a volunteer basis. An administration budget is needed – and stipends for our youth who are determined to learn and grow the community through agricultural projects.”
ALSO READ: ‘A school of refuge amid Covid-19’
Get Stories of Change: Inspirational stories from the people that feed Mzansi.
