Problem Statement
The depth of poverty in the Eastern Cape is revealed in one of the worst Human Development Indices (0.49) in the country. With food prices massively escalating the rural poor in the province are more vulnerable than ever.
The needs are for adequate knowledge about and real skills relating to nutrition, health, increased food security and conservation by enhancing biodiversity strategies in order for people in these areas to both cope with HIV/AIDS and then move beyond a paradigm of basic survival.
Problem Response
Vegetable and indigenous plant cultivation training at community, school and household level establishes productive gardens that supply food and healing plants. Nutrition and Health training adds both theoretical and practical know-how, while Business and Entrepreneurial Skills can be applied to any surplus generated to bring in cash. Basic health training with an extensive HIV/AIDS information and coping mechanisms component is an important element of all our courses.
Our vision is for all South Africans to have sustainable access to the food and resources necessary for building a healthy nation.
Umthathi’s mission is to provide developmental education and training in organic permaculture cultivation methods that enable schools and communities in rural and peri-urban areas of the Eastern Cape to enhance healthy bodies and relationships, sustain their own livelihoods through vegetable and indigenous plant cultivation and develop sustainable agricultural methods.
This mission is based on the following principles: Pro poor, pro women, pro youth, adult education methodology and respect and dignity for all.
The mission of the organisation is carried out through the following programmes:
Africulture
To restore African culture through supporting Traditional Health Practitioners by developing training and advocacy programmes that support and enhance sustainable resource management & skills in the cultivation of traditionally used indigenous medicinal plants in order to:
- reduce stress on wild plant populations
- ensure a sustainable supply of cultivated indigenous plants
- develop an infrastructure to enable long-term sustainability.
Community Development
To enable sustainable health by training community members in cultivation, nutrition and livelihoods skills so they can feed themselves and their families as well as selling excess produce from backyard and community gardens.
School Gardens
To enable sustainable health by training school communities in cultivation and livelihoods skills and encouraging the transfer of skills to the surrounding community as well as supporting the school’s feeding scheme.
Non Profit Organisation Number: 004-370
SARS Tax Exemption (Section 18A) Number: RG/0079/01/05
