LIMPOPO – The launch of the Gingirikani project in Phalaubeni, Giyani, on Thursday, with the support of the Kruger National Park, is seen as a beacon of hope for the local community, most of whom are languishing in poverty and are banking on it to create employment for them.

The project, which focusses on cultivating plants and producing essential oils, was funded by Sanparks, together with its stakeholders such as TotalEnergies, Elephant Live, and others. The project is said to currently employ 17 permanent workers and 23 volunteers.

According to Yolanda Assay, the CSI manager at the SET Department, the idea to fund the project came after the Covid-19 pandemic.

“During that period, we realised that distributing food parcels was not sustainable. People were losing their jobs and needed something that would sustain them for a long time,” explained Assay.

“You cannot sustain a family with food parcels, which is why we decided to fund a food security project. We wanted to create something more sustainable and long-lasting,” she continued.

Meanwhile, Derick Mashale, the Nxanatseni regional ranger, who delivered Kruger National Park’s (KNP) keynote address, said the launch of the project represented “not just a revival of land, but a revival of hope, resilience, and partnership” between the community and the park.

“As KNP, our mandate goes beyond protecting wildlife; it’s also about safeguarding the people who live alongside the park. Empowering 40 volunteers, many of whom are women and youth, is what true sustainability looks like. Our collective goal is to build communities that are resilient to climate change, capable of producing their own food, and that view biodiversity not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity,” he said.

Meanwhile, the headman in the village, Million Mabunda, welcomed the project launch as a poverty alleviation initiative.

“We are very happy about the launch because what I want to see here is development, food sustainability, and employment, because that’s what helps our local economy grow. Projects like this are very important to our communities because they address the issue of unemployment,” he said.

Greater Giyani Municipality (GGM) Ward 19 Cllr Reckson Shilowa welcomed the launch as a step toward fighting poverty and unemployment in the area. “If one person gets employed, it reduces the unemployment statistics for the entire municipality.”

Gingirikani project manager Vincent Mabunda thanked Sanparks and its partners for the donation, as well as for everything else that has been done for the project so far.

“There have been many contributions, from the project’s fence, boreholes, JoJo tanks, solar systems, and one backup generator to seeds and many other essentials that we couldn’t have afforded on our own. Since this project was established, more than 400 households have benefitted. Just last month, we had over 100 people here, including 17 permanent staff members and more than 100 volunteers.”