Opening of Mhani Gingi’s Centre of Excellence coincides with World Food Day 2018

Mhani Gingi Social Entrepreneurial Network on UN World Food Day 2018 held the official opening of its new Centre of Excellence in Athlone, Cape Town.  A speech of support by the Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, the Honourable Ms Barbara Thomson (MP), was read on her behalf by Deputy Director General of Environmental Affairs, Ms Judy Beaumont.

Follow this link to read the Deputy Minister’s speech.  

The Centre of Excellence showcases Mhani Gingi’s implementation of innovative and creative ways of utilizing un-used spaces and recycled materials in the production of nutritious food, thereby contributing towards the eradication of poverty.  The theme chosen by the United Nations for World Food Day celebrated worldwide on 16 October 2018 was: ‘OUR ACTIONS ARE OUR FUTURE. A #ZERO HUNGER WORLD BY 2030 IS POSSIBLE’. 

Zero hunger by 2030

According to the website of the World Food Programme, 821 million people – or one in nine people – go hungry every day.  Even more – one in three – suffers from some form of malnutrition.  The 2018 Global Report on Food Crises in the world estimated that 124 million people in 51 countries were currently facing crisis food insecurity or worse. In South Africa, more than half the population live in poverty, according to the Poverty Trends Report for 2006 to 2015, and data released by STATS SA in 2018 indicated that poverty is increasing.

According to the website of the World Food Programme, 821 million people – or one in nine people – go hungry every day.  Even more – one in three – suffers from some form of malnutrition.  The 2018 Global Report on Food Crises in the world estimated that 124 million people in 51 countries were currently facing crisis food insecurity or worse. In South Africa, more than half the population live in poverty, according to the Poverty Trends Report for 2006 to 2015, and data released by STATS SA in 2018 indicated that poverty is increasing.

The Mhani Gingi Centre of Excellence relocated to Athlone in 2017, when the space occupied at Old Mutual head office in Pinelands from 2009 became no longer available.  A collaborative partnership was established since with the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children.  Four of five intended phases of the Centre of Excellence initiative have been completed thus far, comprising:  A soap manufacturing, enterprise development project for abused women; urban agriculture incorporating persons with disabilities (PWDs); a herb and vegetable seedling supply centre; and other projects in Early Childhood Development (ECD) and human optimisation.

Co-ordinator of the Mhani Gingi Flagship Programme, Tabisa Mahlathi, led the celebration which was opened by the Reverend Colin Campbell from the Goodwood Methodist Church.  Mhani Gingi Trustee, Earl Starr, provided background on the four phases being pursued in development of the Centre of Excellence.  The phases are 1) implementation of the Infrastructure at the Centre of Excellence site; 2) harnessing Inclusive Innovation to bring communities such as the physically impaired into activities of the Centre; 3) enabling Enterprise Excellence and operational efficiency to generate income to ensure sustainability; and 4) extending the Circle of Influence by ploughing back into the broader community.

Lillian Masebenza, Founding Director of Mhani Gingi Social Entrepreneurial Network, outlined the aligned vision which maximizes on Mhani Gingi’s concept of the ‘Power of the Collaborative Collective’.  She praised the collaborative partnership with the Saartjie Baartman Centre.  Masebenza said the Centre of Excellence initiative was guided in particular by Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) numbers 1:  No Poverty, 2:  Zero Hunger and 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Bernadine Bachar, Director of the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children, described the  partnership with Mhani Gingi as an invaluable contribution to activities of the Saartjie Baartman Centre, which would celebrate 20 years of operation in 2019.  Bachar said the Saartjie Baartman Centre and Mhani Gingi shared a common goal: The empowerment of the vulnerable.

 

The need to promote gender equality and participation of women

The speech of the Deputy Minister emphasised the “dire need” for the promotion of gender equality and for the inclusion and promotion of the participation of women in every aspect of sustainable development.

Referring to opportunities that exist for achieving women’s empowerment and equitable participation in the environmental sector, Ms Thomson said:  “I am happy to announce that much work has already gone into positioning the biodiversity sector to deliver a thriving and inclusive wildlife economy for the benefit of all South Africans. It is a sector in which women can play a meaningful role given their traditional knowledge in, for example, using of plants and herbs to cure ailments suffered by family members.  It is this knowledge that can be utilized to develop, for instance, a cosmetic or medicinal product, and to market it overseas.

Ms Thomson’s speech also commended contributions from all social partners such as Mhani Gingi in helping government achieve the Goals.  A plaque was unveiled by the Deputy Director-General of the Oceans and Coast Unit of the Department of Environmental Affairs, Ms Beaumont.  Afterwards guests were served a healthy meal that included fresh spinach and beetroot harvested from the vegetable garden at the Centre of Excellence.  Healthy muffins served with tea and coffee to guests on arrival were baked by a group of differently abled people from Uitsig Community in Ravensmead, Cape Town.

 

Disability does not mean inability

The group from Uitsig Community undertake activities including food gardening, craft-making and sport.  They displayed baskets made from recycled materials and sewing at the opening.  Food gardens situated at Uitsig Community Centre and at Uitsig Primary School are maintained by the Uitsig Community group under Mhani Gingi’s supervision.

 

 

 

The group from Uitsig Community undertake activities including food gardening, craft-making and sport.  They displayed baskets made from recycled materials and sewing at the opening.  Food gardens situated at Uitsig Community Centre and at Uitsig Primary School are maintained by the Uitsig Community group under Mhani Gingi’s supervision.

 

Team leader and Chairperson of Mandla Sport 4 Change in the Uitsig-Ravensmead area, Vanessa Baadjies, told the opening celebration:  “We started our organisation after realizing how disabled people were being treated from where we stay to the community at large.  We are proud to say that we have brought back the dignity we deserve as people.

“Our life is meaningful and full of activity like that of normal or abled people. Our activities range from gardening, taking part in sporting activities, studying, and designing and constructing different types of artefacts.  Some of the artefacts are made from recycled material,” she added.

Cheryl Harper of We Can Change Our World’s final words of thanks also praised the importance of partnerships.