Masiphumelele hub trains youth to fight food insecurity
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Young people in Masiphumelele, a community in South Africa, are working with the Masiphumelele Creative Hub to improve access to healthy food.
Founded in 2017 by Yandiswa Mazwana, the hub began providing soup kitchens during the 2020 Covid lockdown and has since expanded to include vegetable gardens at schools and in private yards. The hub currently trains 22 “garden champions” who grow vegetables for feeding schemes and families experiencing need.
The initiative addresses a challenge voiced by unemployed youth who report they can only afford less nutritious, cheaper foods. The Creative Hub also offers sport, art, and after-school classes alongside its food security programs, aiming to provide multiple avenues for young people to overcome challenges. The hub recently hosted a discussion on food security with the Southern Africa Food Lab and has established 159 home gardens, providing workshops and supplies with support from other organisations.
They also work with the local clinic and distribute food parcels to patients with tuberculosis. Local leaders encourage young people to register for public works programs and highlight existing skills training opportunities offered by other organisations. Residents have also proposed converting illegal dumping sites into food gardens by 2035.
