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
Get your community involved
Is there a community-driven group or caring business in your area? A dedicated group of committed people can effectively solve local problems.
Think about starting or joining community groups like a street WhatsApp group, residents' association, or community policing forum (CPF) to get help and to stay informed and involved in local issues.
How to set up a community group
How to start a residents' association
How to set up a community policing forum
How to set up a neighbourhood watch
How to organise community action
How to use media to create pressure for change
Know your rights – how local government works
It’s important to understand how your local government works so that you can work with them to support what they are doing while your community continues to keep them accountable and deliver services on time. Remember you have a constitutional right to many of the services provided by local government, as well as to accountability and transparency, wherever you live and regardless of how much you earn. It is also where money collected from taxes and rates goes.
George
Warning: text comes here
