As part of its commitment to working with youth in particular, to change the narrative of youth economic underdevelopment and marching towards a South Africa that has economically active youth citizenry, the National Development Agency approved funding to the value of R261 000 to enable Abalami to expand their operations. The NDA does this by ensuring that its programmes also focus on youth and promulgating funding for youth Civil Society Organisations and Cooperatives. 

Following the advent of democracy in 1994, the new democratic government declared 16 June as National Youth Day and June as Youth Month.  National Youth Day is commemorated annually in South Africa on the 16th of June, however the month of June is also dedicated to highlighting youth matters, milestones and challenges.

Youth in South Africa continue to be disadvantaged in the labour market with an unemployment rate higher than the national average. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate was 63, 9% for those aged 15-24 and 42, 1% for those aged 25-34 years, while the current official national rate stands at 34, 5%.

Abalimi Multipurpose Primary Cooperative is one of the projects funded by the NDA with the primary objective of “accelerating youth economic emancipation.” The NDA’s grant funding for Abalimi went towards agricultural equipment and supplies which include - fencing, seedlings, protective clothing, sprinklers and draglines, fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.

Before the NDA intervention, the Cooperative was farming only on one (1) hectare due to lack of equipment. The increase in hectares has ensured that they also increase their produce and the profit that the cooperative makes. The NDA also trained   cooperative members on Financial Management, Governance and Resource mobilisation.

In 2019, the Department of Agriculture workshopped the young people in the Mpofana Local municipality to encourage them to start household gardens in the community. A group of five (5) friends decided to utilize this opportunity, take the municipality’s assistance, and establish a cooperative. Faced with the reality of unemployment in their community, the five young people knew this was an opportunity for them to change their own conditions. “We had to start something because we were tired of staying at home. We had to contribute some funds for us to start, with the assistance from the department of Agriculture,” Lizwilenkosi Ndlovu, Chairperson of the Cooperative.

The Cooperative is farming four (4) of twelve (12) hectares of land zoned for agriculture, which they are leasing from community members. They are producing different crops like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and beans.  

The growth of the Cooperative has been very visible in the community, creating employment opportunities in Tendela Village and definitely inspiring other young people to be active about their own development and utilizing opportunities presented to them. Initially, the Cooperative had been harvesting just enough for the families of the cooperative members and just a little for the local community. However, from 2022, with funding from the NDA and the capacity building training, they started selling their produce to retails shops and vendors as far as Escort and Pietermaritzburg. 

The NDA firmly believes that through interventions that focus on youth and accelerating other development programmes at a local level, the impact of poverty eradication interventions will be realised. The success of Abalimi Multipurpose Primary Cooperative is but one example of such interventions. The NDA calls on the community of uMgungundlovu to support this Cooperative and other such organisations of youth with the primary aim of accelerating towards “Youth Economic Emancipation.”    

Project details:

Abalimi Multipurpose Primary Cooperative

uMgungundlovu District, Mpofana Local Municipality, Ward 2 

Lizwilenkosi Welcome Ndlovu, 071 532 9618/lizwilenkosindlovu9@gmail.com 

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Media inquiries may be forwarded to Mr Lonwabo Ganelo 073 295 0547 lonwabog@nda.org.za

ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY