In the heart of Kliptown West, two visionary young women are rewriting the narrative of local agricultural practices with innovative organic farming techniques.

Francis Marsh and Shaen Smith, founders of Ubuntu Community Development and Upliftment NPC, are not merely growing vegetables; they are nurturing a community spirit that echoes the values of Nelson Mandela.

Besides empowering young people through skills and mentorship, the two founders of Ubuntu Community Development and Upliftment NPC are doing their bit to honour the spirit of Mandela following their donation of some of their recent yield to the Sanctuary Mandela in Houghton.

As if this donation was not enough, on Friday, the community-inspired duo of Marsh and Smith, bolstered by their recent Sister Accord Dreamwalking Business Grant, will be hosting a soup kitchen as part of their Nelson Mandela Day initiative.

They have also committed themselves to becoming teachers, mentors to scores of young people who found themselves roaming the streets with nothing to keep them busy.

They want to establish an academy that imparts practical agricultural skills, promotes environmental stewardship, and fosters local economic growth through community-driven solutions.

At the heart of Ubuntu CDU’s mission is the philosophy of “Ubuntu”, “I am because we are”, which drives their efforts to uplift communities in areas like Klipspruit West, Marsh said.

Added Smith: “Our mission is to cultivate resilient, self-sufficient communities that thrive through knowledge, sustainability, and unity. Food security is a reality in our community. By donating fresh, organic vegetables to local feeding schemes, we know we are assisting vulnerable households.”

Established in 2021, the Ubuntu CDU has challenged norms and the dominant narrative that young women cannot do things for themselves.

Having started with a small garden, their hard work paid off in 2022, when they acquired a portion of 3 hectares of land, which they now use for their daily agricultural activities.

With 67 minutes in memory of the 67 years of Mandela’s service to the public marked on Friday, Marsh has encouraged other young people to participate in the Nelson Mandela Day initiatives, saying only through dedication and living out the true meaning of ubuntu can the country go forward.

“It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another. Ubuntu CDU has embodied this vision by developing disused playing fields and harnessing community members to create a sustainable agriculture project.

“We saw the potential in what was right here — neglected sports fields at Klipspruit West Secondary School, which had become a dumping ground, and the willing hands of our community to create our vegetable gardening project,” she said.

Marsh also revealed that their hands-on training in sustainable farming, workshops, and classroom sessions have been welcomed by the community, which is why they want to expand their offering to more young people seeking to learn farming practices.

“Our collaboration with Klipspruit West Secondary School to integrate agriculture into the curriculum, particularly within Consumer Studies, supports Madiba’s vision. We want to do more in this regard, as taking in learners from Klipspruit West Secondary School, who are undergoing their disciplinary hearings, has allowed us to help them learn practical farming skills, so much so that they sometimes refuse to return to school,” she added.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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