ActionSA has launched an agricultural project called Farming in Action at Ntsako Secondary School to lower poverty levels while accelerating economic development and agricultural transformation in townships.
The project aims to play a vital role in the economy and provide essential employment for people in the community. As part of the project, agricultural activities will play a major role in poverty eradication.
This was also honoured in memory of the late pupil, Palesa Malatji, who was brutally murdered near the school. The area where she was found will be used for the project and will be called Palesa Malatji Agricultural Project.
According to Councillor Mpumi Edward, ActionSA has 7 values and one of them is social justice, where they believe that everyone should be given equal opportunities. They started the project because of the high unemployment rates in their communities.
“This initiative was started to combat unemployment and poverty. We believe that this project will ignite entrepreneurial skills in our community, particularly among youth.
Our vision is to see the dumping sites and vacant spaces that are not being used as gardens”, said Councillor Edward.
Edwards further said that people do not need 200 Hectares. If someone wants to farm, they can do it in their backyard. The success of a project is not dependent on funding, but on the community’s efforts.
MMC Cllr Peggy de Bruin emphasised that after contacting the City of Johannesburg for the project, they considered launching it at Ntsako Secondary School. This is in remembrance of the late Palesa Malatji, a school pupil.
“We do not want Palesa’s name to die in vain”, said MMC Cllr Peggy de Bruin. According to Councillor Kholofelo Morodi, the place where Palesa was found will be named the Palesa Malatji Agricultural Project.
Ntsako Secondary also has a garden that is cared for by the elderly people of Soshanguve. “We are proud of the work we do here at the school. Anyone who might be interested in planting crops in our community is more than welcome to come and join us”, said Anna Chauke, one of the elders who work in the garden.
