South Africa: Food security and AIDS education

Msinga is a dry rural area in the South African province of KwaZulu Natal. In this specific area HIV is the major problem in almost every family. Agriculture and food cultivation are very limited and worsen the impact of HIV and AIDS.

How to help CARE?
CARE helps local people through delivering a mix of services, including training, HIV education and micro-credits. The people should be taught skills in agriculture as well as how to promote drinking water storage, the reuse of water and the use of reproducible seed. Most families have small areas of arable land, but are not able to properly use it due to limited recourses and lack of knowledge. Through the access to micro-credit loans the beneficiaries are able to buy water tanks, agricultural equipment, fences for livestock, seeds and seedlings as well as chickens and essential household items. Markets are established in the major towns and provide venues where excess produce can be sold. Loans can be repaid through the sale of agricultural surplus. Care will form Participants into borrowing circles but also inform about the granting of funds and provide HIV/AIDS education and how to handle this disease.

(CARE is recipient of the PriceWaterhouse Coopers Transparency Award 2008: http://www.care.de/care-finanzen.html.) Read more