Nqutshini women cultivate vegie garden
Women on the outskirts of Ngwelezane, have resorted to farming for their survival.
WHILE unemployment figures continue to escalate, with rural areas being the most affected, women from Nqutshini reserve, on the outskirts of Ngwelezane, have resorted to farming for their survival.
When visited by the Zululand Observer last week, these women who formed a Vukuzithathe Co-operative project, have declared war against poverty in their village and are doing everything in their power to ensure there is food on the table for their families.
Chairperson of Vukuzithathe Co-operative, which could be translated as ‘rise up and do it yourself,’ Nomvula Mthembu, said since the formation of the project in 1964, they have been reading about poverty through the media.
‘We don’t have first hand experience of poverty in this area, as most of us have dedicated our time and energy into farming. We are also grateful to the late iNkosi Mangenhliziyo Zungu, the father of the current head of Madlebe Traditional Authority, iNkosi Zenzo Zungu, who gave us land many years ago, to use it in our quest to break the chains of poverty through agriculture.
‘In our 16 hectares of land, we grow spinach, beetroot, green beans, carrot, cabbage, beans, potatoes, cornflower, maize, sweet potatoes and amadumbe.
‘When we look back from where we come from, we feel proud of the contributions we have made in raising our children.
‘In them we have produced professionals like teachers, nurses and social workers through this project,’ she said.
Mthembu, who was elected as the chairperson of Vukuzithathe Co-operative in 2012, said while their project was showing signs of growth, drought remained their biggest challenge.
‘We still need other resources for irrigation purposes and fencing. We have also approached our Ward 29 Councillor Mthunzi Mathenjwa and other organisations for assistance in fulfilling our ultimate objection which is to supply our fresh produce to big markets.
‘We are grateful to have found one woman, Susan Pletts of Kuhlekudla project, who has been providing us with seedlings.
The arrangement is that she buys 50% of our produce from us and the rest we sell ourselves.
Susan is on a mission to help rural farmers all over KZN,’ she added.
