“Our donation of R100 000 will be used as a start-up funding for the Food Security and Agricultural Livelihoods Programme (FSALP),” says Mahmoud Youssef Baker, Chairman of the Iqraa Trust.
“This will see some 80 households being trained to feed and support themselves and other community members through the sale of their surplus veggies.”
Participating community members have already begun a series of modular, very hands-on training sessions, and will ultimately produce fresh vegetables from “back-yard” type gardens.
EMPOWER: A group of community members with students and staff of the Agriculture Department following a training session
“Iqraa Trust’s mission is to uplift the quality of life of all South Africans by helping those in need due to poverty and disease,” says Baker.
“We’re delighted to be involved in this initiative, which will see CPUT both implement and supervise the project and give its students an opportunity to engage in research and practical farming training.”
FSALP Programme Coordinator Ben Saaiman thanked Iqraa Trust for their generous donation and says Phase 1 of the training has so far reached 36 participants.
“Phase 2, which begins just after the September recess, will target the remaining identified households from Mbekweni, Newton, Van Wyksvlei and Dal Josaphat.”
