This article first appeared in the 29 June 2022 edition of the Cape Argus newspaper.
Cape Town - The National Development Agency (NDA) has thrown its weight behind three Lavender Hill civil society organisations, donating more than R600 000 to them for community upliftment projects.
New World Foundation, the Fusion Inyameko Foundation and Vrygrond-based Sozo Foundation were collectively granted R618 124.99 to implement community development programmes to facilitate job creation, income generation and skills transfer programmes to respond to gender-based violence and femicide (GBFV) in disadvantaged communities.
NDA Western Cape provincial manager Ardiel Soeker said it exercised its mandate to alleviate poverty through partnering with and capacitating civil society organisations such as the New World, Sozo and Fusion Inyameko foundations.
“Lavender Hill is plagued by social ills of crime, substance abuse, joblessness and poverty. We wanted to support these foundations to implement community development projects that result in job creation, income opportunities and food security,” he said.
Beneficiary organisation non-profit the Sozo Foundation Trust was awarded R318 124.99 alongside the Fusion Inyameko Foundation. The Sozo Foundation focuses on youth development projects and development programmes in the Vrygrond and surrounding areas.
“The NDA grant funding to Sozo Foundation will enhance productivity and business development for five beneficiaries in Vrygrond, currently two home-based beauty spas, one barber shop, one hairdresser and one community bakery.”
The Fusion Inyameko Foundation (FIF) is a non-profit organisation operating in Lavender Hill and throughout the Western Cape. It provides humanitarian relief to vulnerable households and communities, including childheaded households, informal settlement communities, the elderly and orphans.
Over the last two years of Covid-19, FIF has set up community kitchens in the Hillview and Kampies informal settlements in Philippi to provide cooked meals and food parcels to the needy.
Soeker said the NDA grant funding of R97 814.20 would be used to establish a household vegetable garden and chicken farming project. The vegetable garden and chicken/egg farming project will provide ingredients to the community kitchen and generate revenue through the sale of produce to the public and to local businesses.
The last beneficiary, the New World Foundation, was awarded R300 000 from the NDA through Criminal Asset Recovery Account funds to implement GBVF programmes.
The non-profit organisation based in Lavender Hill focuses on combating violence through community mobilisation and advocacy, safety for women and children and education for work.
New World Foundation (NWF) director Erica Jacobs said: “The NDA has unlocked potential by supporting NWF in our GBVF services provision in Lavender Hill. The fact that the NDA and government have identified Lavender Hill as a pilot community is encouraging. However, we know that political will and collaboration are required to bring about large-scale social change.”