Page 15 - Thetha Issue 7

#MandelaUniversityGiving

renowned choir was founded1994
The year the University’s world-

“The community kitchens
manage the big community
garden, and this
can inspire people to see
the benefit of having their
own backyard garden”

Supporting

Community Kitchens

to Feed Families

elson Mandela University has partnered with the Its reading club is continuing at the local primary school,
Ikhala Trust, a non-profit community grant-maker with a Funda ambassador from Yizani Sakhe working with
and development incubator in the Eastern Cape, the school. Members have also encouraged households to
Nto develop community kitchens. start their own gardens and they now require seedlings for
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ikhala identified these square metre gardens.
existing “soup kitchens” with the purpose of them The Moeggesukkel group has so far received
becoming “community kitchens”, which provide much more permaculture gardening training, seeds and a JoJo tank
than just meals. from the Interchurch Local Development Agency.
“We continue to work with four of the six initially “Unfortunately, the fence that was erected was stolen,
identified community kitchens,” said Ikhala Trust director but the members used their creative skills and found an old
Bernie Dolley. spring mattress and have used that as a temporary measure
Now Ikhala would like to extend this work, in particular to protect their plants,” said Dolley.
with the Moeggesukkel community kitchen in Kariega, The Ikhala Trust’s signature programme is Asset Based
Yizani Sakhe in Wells Estate, and Kuyga in Greenbushes. Community Development, which takes stock of all the
Ikhala Trust staff member Unathi Meslane has seen a financial, social, natural, physical and human assets that
ripple effect of the collaboration. already exist.
“The community kitchens manage the big community “This acknowledges that no person or community has
garden, and this can inspire people to see the benefit of nothing and helps to build the confidence of individuals and
having their own backyard garden, where your neighbour partners to appreciate what they are able to do,” said Dolley.
is looking at what you are able to produce,” said Meslane. “We not only provide small grants to qualifying
The Kuyga food garden, for example, has expanded, community partners but also mentor and accompany them
and the University’s Hubs of Convergence have enabled on their development journey to achieve their objectives.”
the purchase of a JoJo water tank for this site. Beetroot, Supporting the community kitchens of the Nelson
spinach, spring onions and broccoli were recent harvests. Mandela Food Systems project therefore means far more
In Wells Estate, the Yizani Sakhe CK has learnt the skill of than providing food for a family: it means empowering a
loom mat making and sells beautiful woven mats. community to have a broader impact.

2023 |www. mandela.ac.za | 13