HOPE OF
THE NATION
Dear Friends,
perhaps the greatest problem and fear we face in SA today is the millions of unemployed youth walking the streets; many of them with degrees and most with only basic education.
This is a recipe for revolution and crime.
Young men are often seen as a problem and are more easily caught up in “get rich quick” activities.
But there is truly serious and convincing HOPE ! Why? Because so many of these young people have a genuine, vibrant vision for South Africa – THEY are not giving up and running away. Quite the opposite; they are absolutely determined to feed themselves and their families. They create their own work, while improving the environment, all out of nothing.
Young people like these are the true leaders of a new Peaceful Micro-Farming Revolution, where all South Africans can eat high quality un-poisoned organic food in abundance and self-help jobs can be created by the tens of thousands.
Take action and join the movement. Spread the word, visit us, volunteer, donate! Even R100 can create and sustain one new home garden.
FEED THE KHALTSHA
Feed the Khaltsha begun in 2020, as an initiative of four young men, who have a vision for creating job opportunities, supporting soup kitchens, changing the community and creating good soil and an environment which changes everything. They are a shining example of the hope that we see all over the Cape Flats as young people start new food gardens.
Photocredit: @BSomebodySA
The project is the brainchild of Thapelo Xabanisa (25 years) whose mother runs the Sibongile Day-Night Centre where the garden is situated. Thapelo’s mum provided access to the land to start the garden and then he recruited his friends. They started their project together and work now as a collaboration, with consensus decision making.
Thapelo studied as an IT technician, Baluleka holds an Agricultural diploma on vegetable production, Buhle and Mandla hold Grade 12. None are formally employed.
They say: “In the future, we want to expand production, get more land, grow the local market, sell to hospitals and supermarkets, open our own soup kitchen for the poor, teach the poor to garden and contribute to overcoming crime through creating gardens that keep young people – especially young men – occupied instead of wandering the streets. We want to recruit more young farmers!“
When asked about challenges they responded that “the local market is not yet ‘organic wise’ so the local market access is limited. Our land is too small to produce high volumes and we don’t have enough shade net or tunnels to intensify production year round.
We need more business and intensive farming training and better irrigation. We also need more tools and equipment such as wheelbarrows, forks and spades, some small hand tools and a shipping container for storing our things.”
Currently they are selling their produce to UCook via PEDI Agrihub, Bsomebody and the local community.
Thapelo says: “Abalimi and UCook have already helped us with a borehole, irrigation, building soil fertility, basic training, agriplanner training, production planning and market access support.”
You can get in contact with or support Feed the Khaltsha directly:
Telephone / WA: Thapelo – 065 967 0048
Email: feedthekhaltsha@gmail.com
Instagram: @Feed_the_Khaltsha
Facebook: @FeedTheKhayelitsha
Take Action with Abalimi ! – spread the word, visit, volunteer, donate, to assist Feed the Khaltsha and many other wonderful projects like theirs.
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