Join hands to support the village of Rooiboklaagte
Food sustainability
Three years ago, the Mapusha Weaving Cooperative established its service arm called Tiyiselani, a Tsonga word that means, “despite obstacles, we shall overcome.” The women of Tiyiselani work in the village outside the studio to support the more vulnerable members of the community, especially the children who attend the elementary school and crèche (nursery school). They are “the hands” that translate donations into action in the village.
As their first project, they created a vegetable garden at the elementary school, now 150 trenches, to grow vegetables for the children’s school lunches and to help the poorest families of the community. Selling some vegetables locally provides a small income for the women who work in the garden daily. The Tiyiselani women also produce high quality fencing to surround gardens in the village, which is necessary to ensure their survival.
Donations make a difference.
- A friend of the village started off the garden with a $500 donation to purchase shovels, watering cans, and seedlings.
- A church in San Francisco sold enough chocolate covered strawberries to enable purchase of a fence-making machine by Tiyiselani. The women who create mesh fencing earn a small income and provide the fencing required for the vegetable gardens to survive, and thrive.
Wish list
- Provide funds for purchase of seedlings, manure, and gardening supplies (such as garden gloves and aprons) for the hardworking gardeners.
- Purchase fencing for a family: $100 is enough to fence a trench garden that provides a good supply of vegetables for a family of four.
Read about supporting the village of Rooiboklaagte through economic empowerment and education.
Click here to see more images of the village.
Rooiboklaagte on the map
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