28 Jun 2021

 While many village development committees (VDCs) have become synonymous with building and renting out houses to public officers, as well as implementing Ipelegeng, Gobojango VDC has detoured from the traditional route.

Like other VDCs that rent out houses, Gobojango VDC has rented out 16 electrified houses, all fenced and connected to water supply pipes, a pride for the committee. 

However, the VDC diversified its monthly earnings with a garden, courtesy of Kalahari Conservation Society, that drilled and equipped a borehole, erected a water storage tank and installed irrigation material for planting of fruit trees and vegetables. 

The VDC treats the garden with the seriousness it deserves, at least according to the members who gathered to field BOPA questions. 

“You should understand that VDCs are encouraged to diversify their income and this is one of the avenues by which we seek to do exactly that,” VDC member Mr Obonye Seleke clarified. 

Though alive to the challenges VDCs face, which are borne from serving a wider and diverse population, the Gobojango VDC is steadfast that their gardening project, with the expected produce, will live up to the billing. 

The garden will take off on a small scale, on one and half hectare of the 20-hectare plot, with the aim of utilising the remaining land with time, as they seek to supply schools and small business persons in the village. 

When exploiting new avenues, people usually benchmark on the best practices, which they adopt fully or partially based on their plans. 

However, the Gobojango VDC has never taken any of the trips owing to COVID-19, but they are upbeat their cooperative team will set the garden in full throttle. 

Construction of a guard house and storage room is currently underway at the garden, while the irrigation system is fully functional. “We are in the process of planting, but we are to meet with officials from department of crops to advise on the suitable crops for this season and how best to go about it,” Mr Seleke explained. 

He explained that the village development committee was yet to embark on marketing the garden and subsequent produce since they are yet to consult the community to which the VDC is accountable. 

The garden, among others, seeks to take people out of poverty, at least according to the VDC. Though the committee, together with village leadership and community have not yet devised rules of engagement on the garden, Mr Seleke said that there would be some obvious bias towards youth and people with disabilities. 

As things stand, the committee sees the garden gravitating towards a trust, for better running of the community project. 

With the generated income from sales of produce, the committee plans to further fence the remaining land and develop it or even lease it out. 

Amongst other things, the committee prides itself of having recently built a house for a destitute person, constructing a loading kraal that is yet to be commissioned, built a shelter for senior citizens at village post office, availed a reading room that acts as library as well as offering typing services inter alia. 

The committee is also in the process of developing a sports ground for all codes, according to Seleke. Ends