Peasant farmers cultivate vegetables for self-sufficiency and hotel guests

Piggs Peak Agricultural and Horticultural Project

The local branch of the Swazi Red Cross Society at Piggs Peak iniciated this project. They observed adults becoming sick and children neglected by them. Most of the misery is somehow linked to the alarmingly high HIV-Prevalence among the adult population of nearly 40%.

Local Red Cross volunteers as well as the local chief decided to take action to address the misery. The chief donated some 30 hectares of his land to the local Red Cross branch to implement a vegetable garden. More than 60 members of the local red cross branch and additional families will be clearing and preparing the big field to cultivate vegetables on it. The surface can be easily irrigated with a water pump donated by BSRCS.

Thanks to an improved diet, local people hope to strengthen the vitality of children and to help those who are sick.

Part of the harvest will be sold to a hotel nearby and to a local supermarket. The earnings allow the peasant farmers to pay for school uniforms of children or to finance medical treatment for those in need.

Project site

Zandondo, Hhohho (Map)

Beneficiaries

75 women, 39 men and more than 190 children and youths, many of them orphaned.

Project costs and assistance by sahee

The entire project costs are CHF 33’300.–. The project is fully financed by sahee.

CHF 33.300.- financial contribution, project visits at the site, regular contact with the project leader.

Duration of assistance

30th of September 2006 to 31st of December 2008

Local counterpart

Rotkreuzgesellschaft Swaziland (Baphalali Swaziland Red Cross Society; BSRCS), Piggs Peak Division

Project site

www.ifrc.org/address/sz.asp