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Access to Basic Services

 

Introduction

The major trust of our work in the year 2000/2001 has been mainly completing a number of development projects supported by EU. These included two huge water projects, one cattle scheme, two vegetable garden schemes and running seven capacity building workshops for communities. We also took the school-fencing project to scale covering five schools between Siphofaneni and Sithobela Inkhundla. This report covers a fraction of projects undertaken.

Objectives

• Increase access to water.
• Enhance food security at household level.
• Promote environmentally friendly practices.
• Promote balanced gender participation in project implementation and decision-making.

 

Achievements

Lukhetseni Domestic Water Supply

 

The programme has successfully completed a domestic water supply at Lukhetseni area. The domestic water scheme will benefit over 1150 people. With use of electricity, water shall be pumped from an existing borehole to a 60,000 litre concrete reservoir. From the reservoir water shall be fed through gravity to twenty-one standpipes positioned between 113 homesteads.

 

Community Participation

 

The Lukhetseni community participated in all stages of implementation. During the drawing of the plan of implementation the community, together with Save the Children agreed on specific roles and responsibilities. Save the Children’s main responsibilities included provision of technical advice and finance for most materials. The community agreed to provide labour and pay for the connection of electricity. The local MP also made an enormous contribution of 200 x 50kg cement for the construction of the 60,000 litre concrete reservoir.

 

Sustainability

 

It is often difficult to sustain community water schemes for a long time because of the assumption that water is a free resource. It is against this experience that members of the water scheme were assisted to construct a constitution that would be binding to all members of the scheme. This was done as a major component of group development exercise. The constitution stipulates vividly how members are expected to utilise the water, subscribe for maintenance, participate in the implementation etc. The constitution was further validated through the local chieftancy leadership and the local government (Inkhundla). We went further to provide appropriate technical training to four members of the water scheme on basic maintenance of their water system. This would ensure that regular maintenance is carried out. Having gone through the aforementioned stages, we are confident that the water scheme is very likely to be sustainable. This is further substantiated by the fact that the whole project is community driven; this was noted at the initiation stage. There was also a lot of commitment demonstrated during the implementation both in the form of labour input and also contributing hard cash that amounted to over E49,000 towards connection of electricity.

 

Commercialisation of Cattle

 

The lowveld has a great potential of meeting their food security needs through turning livestock into commercial assets rather than traditional wealth. Most communities engage themselves into maize subsistence farming, which in any case does not do well in the lowveld. It is however, a known fact that goats and cattle do very well in the lowveld. It is therefore crucial to conscientise communities about the potential of commercialising livestock.

As a pilot project, a group of 14 young people from Maphilingo were supported to fence 150 hectares of land that was allocated by the local chief. The members of the scheme have been trained in Group Dynamics that is aimed at improving their skills in managing their business. The project is now operational; Save the Children financed the purchasing of 10 herds of cattle that are being fattened in preparation for re-selling. A drinking source has been put in place for the animals. The local government (Inkhundla) supported the group with additional fence. The government veterinary district office is continuing to offer technical support to the group.

We are yet to learn a lot of lessons from this scheme as it matures. Should results be successful, we shall be in a good position to replicate the project in neighbouring communities.

 

School Fencing

 

In the 1999/2000 Annual Report it was reflected that five schools would receive financial support towards fencing of their schools. Indeed, in the year 2000/2001 the funding for the project did come through. The five schools that got the support were Makhwekhweti Primary, Manyovu Primary, Othandweni Primary, Lavundlamanti High and Sihlangwini Primary. The purpose of fencing was to protect school facilities, keep away stray animals and create room for secondary development like setting up vegetable gardens, planting of trees etc. The five schools have an enrolment of over 1500 students. It is worth mentioning that there were many schools that had sent through their applications for funding but due to limited resources the donor could only fund five schools.

The process of implementation was much longer that anticipated. The reason for the prolonged delay was due to negotiations between Save the Children and the school communities. In the ling run we agreed on the role of each party. Save the Children’s role was to purchase all required materials, provide transport and technical advice. Each school committee was expected to identify at least five very needy children to be given school fees waver, ie. their fees to be catered for ny contributions from the community for a period of five years, To kick-start the process we held meeting with each of the schools to seek their commitment on supporting needy children within their communities. The committees later met with all parents to solicit consensus in committing itself to such an agreement with Save the Children.

A consensus was finally reached, each of the school committees later on signed a written agreement to support a specific list of children identified. The actual setting up of the fence in each school was completed within four to six weeks. The total number of children that benefited from this agreement by having their fees waived is 39. We see this as a major milestone in getting communities to illustrate that poor/vulnerable/orphan children can be supported within local structures in an endeavour to enhance a brighter future for each one of them.

Challenges

One major challenge faced during implementation has been balancing the process of community development with meeting deadlines for the actual implementation. This was evident in projects such as Mkhaya dam, Othandweni cattle scheme and Lukhetseni water scheme. The communities were committed to completing the projects in time while on the other hand they were obliged to participate in regular community activities.

Future Plans

• Work closely with Lukhetseni water committee and Micro-Projects to get electricity connected to the pumphouse.
• Support setting up of a vegetable garden scheme at Mkhaya.
• Engage into phase two of the cattle scheme project.
• Continue to support water related projects.
• Continue to gradually build the capacity of members to sustain their projects.
• Work with local authorities to set up environmental committees.