IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABLE WATER AND FOOD SECURITY SOLUTIONS

Nearly R3,2 million has been invested in the Hammanskraal community by AECI, ImproChem and Nulandis. Five schools will benefit directly. They are Kekana Primary School, Itireleng Primary School, Lethamaga Secondary School, Boisthepo Secondary School and Phalesane Primary School.

Hammanskraal is a small town in northern Gauteng and is home to nearly 22 000 people. Herman Mashaba, the former mayor of Johannesburg, and Aubrey Ngoma, a Mamelodi Sundowns soccer player, come from nearby Ramotse. Ongoing water issues have plagued the community for many months, including unsafe drinking water due to problems with the reservoir.

There's been little resolution and learners have been missing many days of school due to the fact that there's no water to drink and toilets can't be flushed.

Contributions:

• Emergency relief: bottled water was donated to identified schools in dire need by ImproChem and Gift of the Givers
• The testing of boreholes at these schools was commissioned and water quality was determined by ImproChem
• AECI (ImproChem and Nulandis) and Gift of the Givers have worked with the schools and their principals to identify and repair non-functioning boreholes to make available better quality drinking water to the schools and surrounding communities
• A curriculum-aligned water education programme was implemented by WESSA. This enables schools to manage and conserve water more effectively
• Nulandis spearheaded the establishment of food gardens and provided training on soil treatment and crop care
• Farming tools and seeds were also donated by Nulandis

Other partners in the initiative include the City of Tshwane, For Love of Water (FLOW), Gift of the Givers and WESSA.

The formal handover of the project took place on 21 November. In addressing the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Pam Tshwete, Mark Dytor said: "We're proud of our contribution. For the five schools, it means no more learners need to be sent home because there's no drinking water. A reliable water supply also addresses sanitation problems. The schools' feeding scheme initiatives won't be interrupted and the new school gardens will be a source of food, income and physical exercise for the children. We also trust that water will be made available to the wider community after hours to ensure that benefits are shared as widely as possible." Already a clinic is benefiting.

"With its diverse product and service portfolio, AECI is ideally placed to continue to add value to all its stakeholders, including communities and the country as a whole. We're at an advanced stage of planning a holistic offering that has the potential to have a significant impact in terms of tackling food and water security – an imperative not only in South Africa but on the continent as a whole."

Others at the event were:

• Chief Lleka Kekana, Amandebele-a-Moletlane tribe
• Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder of Gift of the Givers
• Nontobeko Sibisi, WESSA Board member
• Headmasters and teachers form the five schools
• Schools governing bodies
• Members of the local council
• Learners
• Representatives form Play your Part Programme, a division of Brand South Africa