Originally published on 05 August 2024

In the Eastern Cape village of Goboti, a community project made sure that everyone had enough to eat. Led by Reverend Gcobani Vika, the village became a shining example of self-sufficiency and farming success.

What was the problem?

Goboti, like many rural areas, faced issues like drug and alcohol abuse and poverty. The rising cost of living made these problems worse, and getting enough food was a big worry for the village's 700 households.

How did they solve it?

Reverend Gcobani Vika, a local Methodist leader, led a plan to improve Goboti. He turned down a PhD opportunity to help his community by creating an organisation called the Friends of Goboti. The organisation focused on rebuilding things like the church and classrooms and solving social problems through sports and community activities.

The Friends of Goboti helped the community to focus on farming, using their good soil and mountain water. They launched a "green revolution", encouraging every household to grow their own gardens. The project provided food, created jobs, and made people less dependent on food parcels.

Key steps included:

• Checking skills and using local youth for building projects.
• Giving 20% of farming profits to landowners and the rest to workers.
• Collecting money from households to keep a new tractor working, allowing more land to be farmed.

The village's work caught the eye of other areas, with visitors keen to learn from their success.

Acknowledgements:

Original article written by: Estelle Ellis

Photograph supplied by: Reverend Gcobani Vika

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