SEBOKENG – Serapeng sa Ditlhare and Environment NPC is changing the lives of the Waterdal community for the better. In the beginning, the organisation’s main focus was on producing organic vegetables.

Currently, the NPC provides alternative energy through a village kitchen where women in the community can prepare hearty meals for their families, despite not having electricity.

Co-founder Mamosweu Tsoabi says the idea behind the alternative energy village kitchen emanates from what she calls ‘energy poverty’. Energy poverty refers to a lack of access to adequate, affordable, and reliable energy services.

Tsoabi said they have electrical infrastructure in the area, but not everyone has access to it. In the kitchen, the women use a biogas digester, parabolic stove, and cooking bags as domestic sources of alternative energy.

“Over the years, we have researched through engaging various environmental organisations about climate change and its impact on the environment. Because of the availability of the land, we then decided to open up this kitchen for community members.”

Tsoabi said the women come to the centre to use these various products to prepare meals for their families.

“While they are cooking, we will equip them with knowledge about climate change.”

Tsoabi said the Village Kitchen will be used to train more people on how to design solar cookers and polystyrene shredding machines to recycle more polystyrene and train more women on how to design Mosikare cooking bags.

“Mosikare has created a value chain from the reclamation of materials in landfills and illegal dumping sites. Items such as old curtains and bedding sheets form part of the materials that are used in producing Mosikare cooking bags.”

Serapeng sa Ditlhare and Environment NPC recently gave back to the community by donating 28 cooking bags to grannies in Tshepong.