The principle of this old adage is often found in wards in Nkayi district in the arid Matabeleland North region. This follows the introduction of the Greenfield Concept, a modern, community-driven development approach that seeks to empower communities with skills, rather than donor hand-outs and freebies.
According to Method Ndlovu, the Nkayi Greenfield Concept team leader, more emphasis is placed on communities taking charge of their own developmental destiny. This is in direct contrast with previous initiatives, when non-governmental organisations were at the forefront of development projects, particularly in rural areas.
“One of the positive aspects of this programme is that from day one, the community is in the driver’s seat. It is a joint learning and practical approach with communities ultimately achieving their desired goals in a sustainable manner. Under this new approach, donors play a facilitatory or complimentary role only,” explained Ndlovu.
Major challenges
The Greenfield project was introduced in 2012 following assessments and activities carried out by local communities. The participating wards are 17, 18, 19, 22 and 29. They drafted an Integrated Community Development Plan to guide their own development for the next five years. “We used a simplified plant growth analogy tool to identify and design our projects. First we identified our major challenges and then rated them in their order of priority,” said Sipho Bhebhe, a community facilitator in Bhuzulili village in ward 19.
The community identified several major projects after the assessment process, which involved other stakeholders such as representatives of various government departments, traditional leaders and council officials.
The projects identified were food, nutrition, security and livelihoods, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), advocacy, sponsorship and project management.
“Due to the scarcity of resources, we have prioritised that the two most urgent are food and sanitation,” said Bhebhe.
Goat rearing
She and the group – 10 women and one male – run a thriving goat-rearing project and their income sustains all their families.
“We started this project with 10 goats that we bought using our own resources. World Vision then assisted us with money to procure more stock. We now collectively own over 80 goats. When we sell livestock, we share the proceeds equally. Some members pay school fees and buy food for their children. We also assist vulnerable members of the community with food,” she said.
Like the rest of the goat breeding project members, Ellen Tshuma, confirmed that the project has improved the diet of the community, who now have meat and milk regularly at mealtimes.
According to a community assessment,16% of households don’t have toilets facilities.
Tshuma also recently constructed a toilet at her homestead after receiving her share of proceeds. “My children and I used to have to use the bush, knowing that we were in danger of contracting diseases associated with this practice. I am happy that I now have my own toilet. My children are now secure as they no longer have to use the bushes,” said Tshuma.
Low cost latrines
Under the WASH programme, the local community is promoting a low cost effective one hole latrine for every household. Mfanyana village ward 17 community facilitator, Zenzo Dube told that villagers in his ward recently launched a zero open defecation campaign in the ward.
“We asked every villager to go into the bush and to collect human faeces and then to bring it with them to a public gathering held at the local headman’s homestead.”
“Then we compared the costs of constructing latrines to the cost of treating and burying a person who died as a result of a preventable disease like diarrhoea or cholera. This simple yet important exercise, convinced the community of the importance of toilets,” said Dube.
Villagers in ward 17 set up community libraries manned by community librarians.
“There is a high level of illiteracy among our children here. In order to try and improve this situation, we sourced children books from organisations such as World Vision. In each ward we have community reading camps where children gather after school and read books under the supervision of a volunteer community librarian. The community librarians were trained by the Ministry of Secondary and Primary Education officials,” says Dube.
He added that the community librarians work hand in hand with local school librarians. This has improved the quality of children’s education in the area.
Nutritional gardens
Fourteen nutritional gardens have been established in the wards under the programme. They have raised the living standards of several families in the area where low rainfall makes it almost impossible for subsistence farming.
“We are now able to grow vegetables such as butternuts, tomatoes and green beans. We have a more balanced diet and donate some of our surplus produce to the local people who are less fortunate,” said Philip Maphosa, whose wife is a member of the Thompson nutritional garden in Sipelile’s ward 18.
Post published in: Analysis