Fri Jun 01 07:22:00 UTC 2018
Combined with the right healthcare, good nutrition is essential to tackling chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB). Access to fresh produce can be a challenge for rural communities located far from commercial centres, but the Retshewenyegile Home-Based Care Centre in Lokgabeng Village, near Taung in the North West Province, has found a way to provide vegetables to 800 patients all year round.
Located in the North West province, the Centre – whose name means ‘to care’ – is a non-profit organisation (NPO) run by 16 men and women. They provide home-based care for orphaned or vulnerable children as well as patients living with HIV/AIDS and TB.
Led by project manager, Bokang Sebokolodi, the Retshewenyegile Home-Based Care Centre cultivated a garden to produce fresh vegetables and medicinal herbs. Spinach, onion, tomato, green pepper and other crops are distributed to residents when caregivers visit their homes and any surplus is sold to the community to finance the costs of maintaining their borehole.
- Bokang Sebokolodi, project manager at the Retshewenyegile Home-Based Care Centre
Shoprite has been supporting the Centre to promote the importance of better nutrition and to boost the garden’s productivity by hosting a series of workshops that cover crop rotation, soil health, companion planting, natural remedies and pest management. The retailer also replaced old, rusty and damaged tools; installed a grey water system and shade cloth to protect the plants; and supplied compost, seedlings and other plant materials to help develop a cash crop.
- Bokang Sebokolodi