Vulnerable young children in southern Joburg are being helped through the Ekukhanyeni Relief Project and Mercedes-Benz, with crèches and food gardens.

THE isolated area of Lawley, in the south of Joburg, is the home of the Ekukhanyeni Relief Project, set up to combat the socio-economic impact of HIV/Aids in the vulnerable community through helping its young children.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and the City's portfolio head of environment and corporate services, Matshidiso Mfikoe, were among the dignitaries

It was officially launched on Friday, 29 January at the resource centre and the project's Rabeh Crèche, both in Lawley. Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe was on hand for the occasion, joined by other government and MBSA officials and community representatives.

The City of Johannesburg’s mayoral committee member for environment and corporate services, Matshidiso Mfikoe, welcomed the dignitaries to the launch, where MBSA handed over a cheque forR3-million.

Activities began at the resource centre, before the dignitaries moved to the crèche for the speeches and cheque hand over. Children from Rabeh, dressed in bright green, blue and red T-shirts adorned with the words "Action Ball Stars", excitedly performed a song and dance routine.

Referencing a little girl who was not quite in tune with the rest of the children who were singing and dancing on the stage, but gyrated to the beat at the correct time, the deputy president said: "In a period of problems that we are all trying to resolve, all that is asked of us is knowing exactly when to gyrate in the totality of life.

"I think Mercedes-Benz should be applauded for knowing exactly when to gyrate."

The project supports over 450 orphaned, abandoned and abused pre-school children in impoverished communities in the south of Johannesburg through its eight crèches. It also aims to empower the community.

Lawley is geographically displaced from the rest of greater Johannesburg. It is a marginalised dormitory residential area with no economic base of its own and is dependent on Johannesburg and, to a lesser extent, on Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging.

Step in
"As the government, as businesses, as a nation, we must step in and work together to take care of our children and support effective projects like Ekukhanyeni. It requires responsibility, accountability and action," said Hansgeorg Niefer, the president and chief executive of MBSA.

"The fate of many children in South Africa remains extremely desperate, and there is much to be done."

Ekukhanyeni takes a holistic approach to HIV/Aids, education, food security and job creation. An MBSA social upliftment initiative, it puts particular emphasis on better health and developing self-sufficient communities, safeguarding the future of South Africa's less privileged and more vulnerable. "We don't just build cars, we build communities," said Niefer.

Liza Rossi, the project's executive director, explained that Ekukhanyeni was not based on a "handout" philosophy, "but strives to empower community members with practical skills and knowledge aimed at addressing the impact of the HIV/Aids crisis in these communities".

Action Kids
The early childhood development programme used at the crèches, Action Kids, takes an integrated approach to childcare through interactive activities. Trained caregivers and community members supervise activities, while training house mothers to look after the children. With this year's investment from MBSA, more equipment will be bought and the number of participating children increased.

The second leg in the Ekukhanyeni programme is the permaculture training and resource centre, which provides 200 children with nutrient-rich vegetables daily and supplies six of the crèches in the project with herb and vegetable seedlings for their own gardens.

Principals and caregivers at these crèches have been trained in nutrition and cooking skills. The project also runs 10-day courses for community members in permaculture design, plant-based healthcare and sustainable farming practices. Rossi said the Ekukhanyeni permaculture programme had been so successful in addressing food security, that plans were in place to replicate the model in other communities.

Upgrade
"With Mercedes-Benz's contribution we have been able to upgrade our greenhouses and purchase necessary equipment and plants, improving our garden infrastructure for further expansion."

Niefer added: "We are confident that Ekukhanyeni will continue to have a major impact in these communities and [it has] our full support. We look forward to watching the project grow as we advance the battle against HIV/Aids together."

The deputy president said Ekukhanyeni was a beacon. "It is a light in a community where there is a form of darkness in the form of poverty and deprivation, and it sustains hope."

There is no secondary school in the area, and the building of a school is a priority for Lawley residents. "I'm going to ensure that I remind them [government officials] about the need for a secondary school," Motlanthe promised.

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