Modern Community Foundation aims high with its Shumela Hayani project

The Modern Community Foundation (MCF), which is a Rosebank-based NPO, established an agricultural development programme called Shumela Hayani. The project was established in 2022 and aims at creating a fully self-sustainable farming operation.

The initiative was successfully launched in the far north in Musina, Limpopo, as a result of a partnership that MCF made with Ponahalo De Beers Trust.

Shumela Hayani’s Programme coordinator, Annah Maphaha, shared more information on the initiative and its positive impact on the community of Musina.

She said the project was established by Modern Community Foundation as a response to the high unemployment rate in the country and also, to provide solutions for the youth, people with disabilities, and women who find themselves at the bottom of the hierarchy when it comes to opportunities, especially in agriculture.

In terms of the project’s target groups and main beneficiaries, Maphaha said “The youth, people with disabilities and women remain our priority. Most of the learners are under 25, 70% are women, and 90% of the learners are black youth with disabilities.”

Reflecting on the role of government and businesses in the impact of initiatives such as this NPO, the coordinator highlighted that corporates’ potential funding alongside fund contributions from the government can improve the existing project delivery in the community.

She said “The funding can be through money, material/equipment and even the land for people to work. We also need more educational programmes about agriculture so that we deal with the mindset that says, agriculture is for old people or those who are not qualified.”

The two main challenges the project continued to face were climate change and funding. Constant weather changes affected the chances of yielding good crops and the lack of funding reduced the number of students that could be involved in the project.

Although the project continued to face these challenges, Maphaha shared that the project had seen good results and was able to sell crops in the area. “The people of Musina can buy products at relatively cheap prices. We can point out learners today who are now leading their projects, skilled and ready to work.”

Commenting on the future of Shumela Hayani, Maphaha hoped the project would allow for increased employment and empowerment of the local youth of Musina. inspire them to learn more about agricultural projects, and inspire them to eventually start their own.

“The aim is to make sure that disadvantaged people can be able to fight poverty, sustain food security and empower others”

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