Budding young farmer dreams of going commercial

SIPHELELE NGWENYA, MRTT TRAINEE

When fresh water began to trickle into the fields of a local vegetable farming project, Zinhle Yende was filled with pride as she witnessed her newly acquired plumbing skills benefiting the community. Zinhle is one of five residents of SaulMkhizeville, selected for a plumbing training programme initiated through Kangra’s project to install water infrastructure across the Donkerhoek area.

“When the water flowed into the garden, we were happy because the water in the area had always been a problem,’ she says. Zinhle and four others were selected through the Mkhondo Local Municipality’s Community Work Programme (CWP), where she assisted the community with caregiving and cleaning. She applied for the training programme to gain more skills. During the process, they were trained on how to prepare the land, join pipes and place them in the correct manner. 

Zinhle finally got to test her skills. With guidance from their facilitators, trainees were provided with all the materials and equipment to create a pipeline drawing water from a natural source uphill from the farm.  “I would like to thank Kangra for this opportunity and hope to see more skills initiative to help the youth in my community in future,” she says. After completing the plumbing programme, Zinhle plans to learn brick laying and brickmaking so she can go into construction.