23 Oct 2024 South Africa Happenings
Towards Building Thriving Communities
While clean water, sanitation and permaculture farming methods remain at the heart of what we do, we remain cognizant of the multi-layered approach necessary to build thriving communities. We are really grateful to our partners and sponsors who share our vision and are ever willing to support our cause. In this bulletin, we are excited to share some of the activities of the last three months and what you can expect towards year-end!
Taking a Bite Out of Hunger
The school feeding program plays a crucial role in improving health and learning for children in underserved communities worldwide. The South African basic education system provides for this important meal in the morning, and A Spring of Hope has been able to extend this important offering to the afternoon, on weekdays and Saturdays, to 185 learners in grades 11 and 12 who attend afternoon classes at Nkotobona High School.
What makes this offering extra special is the complementary Food Forest which ensures a daily supply of fresh, organic vegetables towards both the morning and afternoon meals at the school. The Food Forest affords an experiential learning environment for the students who take turns to learn the permaculture way of farming while taking care of the garden. This initiative has also created a source of income for three of the parents serving as garden support and food handlers for the program.
We served our first meal to 185 learners on the 5th June 2024, by 30th September 2024 we had served 10 729 meals! We are truly grateful to the Thomas Family Foundation for supporting this program.
Let’s Grow Together
Our partnership with the Ackerman Pick ‘n Pay Foundation on the School Shade Net Project continues to prosper.
This year we explored the long-term sustainability of this important initiative by setting up a Nursery at Mahashe Secondary School, to ensure a continuous supply of seedlings to the 20 partner schools that are benefiting from the project. The nursery has been up and running since May 2024. The success of this project has enabled us to add three more beneficiary schools! In this third quarter of 2024, 24 partner schools and 2 small scale farmers attended the pest and disease management workshops and received 20 800 seedlings from the Nursery!
Learning Money Wise Habits
To celebrate Money Smart Week South Africa 2024 we partnered with the Banking Association of South Africa and their member banks, FNB, Nedbank and Postbank to deliver financial literacy workshops on 26th & 27th August. Over 400 learners, educators and support staff at our partner schools Beretta Primary in Acornhoek and Morutsi Primary in Tzaneen received invaluable lessons about nurturing a good relationship with money and setting financial goals.
We Rise by Lifting Others
We launched the 2024 Women in Entrepreneurship Program sponsored by Itirele Charitable Foundation in June. Of the three businesses established, Basadi Stiches became our supplier for the reusable sanitary pads, part of the menstrual products we supply to our Girls Clubs. To celebrate Women’s Month, Basadi Stitches proudly delivered their order of 200 pads to grade 7 learners in our Girls Clubs at Beretta and Matlolane Primary Schools. They took the time not only to demonstrate the use and care of this innovative product, but to also share their entrepreneurial journey with the learners, encouraging them to stay in school and to consider entrepreneurship as a career option.
Together We Can Do So Much!
Every donation helps us bring WASH+ solutions to our partner schools and new programs to our Permaculture Center. This includes, clean water, improved sanitation, sustainable gardens, safer kitchens, after school programs, enterprise development courses, and female empowerment programs!
To get involved with our programs in South Africa, please contact Nelly Mofokeng at .