Ecological agriculture, HIV/AIDS

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Program background

In South Africa about 20 years have passed since the end of apartheid (racial segregation) in 1994. However, the structure of the society has not changed where a North-South gap of wealth distribution continues to exist and the unemployment rate among the indigenous black people is still high at 60%.

In addition, 12% of the population, which is 5.7 million people, in South Africa have been infected with HIV. Losing wage-earners on top of rising commodity price is further adding to the difficulties for poor families.

For the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the government focused projects on the development and maintenance of infrastructure improvements. However, impovished and poor families still exist in large numbers.

Summary of activities

(1)Supporting people living with HIV/AIDS

The response of the South African government to the challenge of HIV/AIDS has been slow. Especially in rural villages where there is little aid or information, large numbers of people are unable to receive care or medical treatment. Considering these circumstances, JVC launched a joint project in 2005 with the Japanese NGO SHARE (Service for the Health in Asian and African Regions) which specializes in health care.

2009 Annual Report

1. Vegetable Garden Training
For people living with HIV and AIDS (PWA), nutrition is essential in order not to develop AIDS. We conducted Vegetable Garden Training for community volunteers to provide nourishment with less money.

We conducted the training for 15 people with PWA and care volunteers in the Capricorn District and 10 NGO staff members in Vhembe District.

Training focused on seed saving & seedling cultivation, nutrition and use of rainwater.

Harvested vegetables were also provided for orphans as lunch service at Drop-in-Centers which are operated by a local NGO. We can now see that former training participants are teaching other people how to make vegetable gardens by themselves.

2. Treatment Literacy Training
We provided a gathering place for PWA who often become isolated, and provided knowledge about the treatment.

In cooperating with local NGO, we conducted training on the disease or treatment for 20 PWAs and about 50 care volunteers.

Also we worked on the issue of HIV/AIDS through training sessions for volunteers providing homecare services and sessions to educate the youth on the prevention on HIV/AIDS.

2010 Annual plan

We will continue to conduct Vegetable Garden Training for the local people and Training sessions on AIDS treatment for volunteers providing homecare services and PWA. We will also hold an evaluation meeting to review the achievements and challenges of the project.

(2)Changing life through Vegetable Gardens

Women and children living in poor neighborhoods especially suffer from the problems the gap in wealth distribution, poverty and HIV/AIDS.

In Soweto (formerly a black neighborhood) near Johannesburg, we have conducted Vegetable Garden Training for local people to decrease their expenditures since 2009.

2009 Annual report

1. Vegetable Garden Training
As the 1st phase of our activity, we conducted Vegetable Garden Training for 15 local people, using land at a junior high school in the area. These vegetables not only reduced the expenses of the people, but also provided food for children who can’t pay for school lunch.

Organic farming, which doesn’t use chemical fertilizers but natural compost is an economical way and lessens the environmental burden.

2. Action Research
We conducted research on people’s lifestyle there such as income, job, meals and so on. We will use the finding from it to help develop the next year’s program.

2010 Annual plan

Based on the research from 2009, we will expand the area of the Vegetable Garden Training project to increase the number of participants.