Community centre with food garden helps girl realise her dreams
When Phyllis Malope, 65, started the Philani Community Development Centre in Zuurbekom in 2001, all she wanted to do was to play a part in helping a desperately poor community.
The unemployment and matric dropout rate in Zuurbekom is very high and for this reason, the founder of the Philani Community Development Centre in Zuurbekom, Phyllis Malope, has started offering extra school lessons on Saturdays to assist high school learners.
Phyllis, 65, started the Centre in 2001. All she wanted to do was to play a part in helping a desperately poor community.
Busisiwe Khaoue grew up in the impoverished community in Zuurbekom and spends many weekends participating in the extra maths and science lessons offered at the Centre. She also benefits from the centre’s food garden, which is thriving because of its partnership with Shoprite.
“Education is important and we have a teacher from the high school, Moses Bie, who volunteers on Saturdays. The learners like Busisiwe know him and benefit from the extra lessons,” explained Phyllis.
According to Phyllis, the Philani Community Development Centre has grown over the years and today consists of 101 community members, who help in the skills development centre, community health centre, nursery school and food garden.
“At first, the small food garden just sold produce to hawkers and shops in Bekkersdal, but with support from Shoprite it now provides nutritious meals for some 450 beneficiaries.
“Spinach, beetroot and onions are among the vegetables grown in the garden. This produce is either used in the centre’s feeding scheme or forms part of food parcels that are regularly distributed in the Zuurbekom community,” Phyllis said.
