Operation: ROOIGROND Projects

A fundamental value of Operation: ROOIGROND is empowerment, we aim to empower the community so as to create self-determination in people, avoiding the creation of a sense of dependency. Our mandate is basically to be achieved through empowerment which is achieved through education, access to information, skills development and the creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities, the only means through which people can go beyond extreme poverty.

It is with this in mind that our projects, are formed. Though not all yet in full swing, we are working towards partnerships to make that happen.

We are working towards the development of a vegetable garden in the community. This garden, will be much more than just a vegetable garden, but a labour of love, love for the community. The vegetable garden will seek to utilise members of the community’s knowledge and experience, for its’ establishment. It will be run as a business, to be maintained by the participants themselves as a means of creating sustainable livelihoods, through self-employment. However the participants will be assisted with the initial capital costs and in exchange 50% of what is reaped in the garden, will be used for the daily feeding program.

In essence, the benefit of the vegetable garden will be double fold as it will not only be creating sustainable livelihoods, but will also provide a means for the community to participate in the sustainability of the Daily Feeding Program.

The land for this project has already been secured and a lot of groundwork covered. It won’t be long until the first seedlings are planted, a joyful prospect for all involved and for the community as a whole.

It is said that “sharing is caring”. We believe that sharing goes beyond what we often associate with the word. The sharing of knowledge is very central to our operations. It is through this sharing of knowledge, through skills transfer that we hope to develop, ‘Rooigrond Tailors’. This project will be developed in two phases. The first, will be the skills development phase, in which selected community members will participate in a skills transfer course.

After this skills development, is the second phase, which basically amounts to skill application. The participants will essentially be assisted to start a school uniform making business. This will be to create sustainable livelihoods that utilises the knowledge gained, through the skills transfer. It will also serve as a means of eliminating the high costs families are burdened with, through the provision of low-cost school uniforms.

To further this sharing of knowledge, we also seek to develop carpenters in the community. This project will also be developed in two phases. The first, will be the skills development phase, in which selected community members will participate in a skills transfer course. Operation Blanket is the selected service provider, through their available skills transfer programmes.

After this skills development, is the second phase, which basically amounts to skill application catering to the creation of sustainable livelihoods. The participants will be assisted to start a woodwork business, thereby being given an opportunity to utilise the knowledge gained through the skills transfer.

It will also serve as a means of eliminating the need for high cost services within the community, which has the potential to change the negative consequences that stem from a need for these services.

It is our belief that all these projects put together, will ensure that the positive change in the community is not only sustainable, but empowers the people to ‘help themselves’.

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