Assisting the Lillydale Home Care Centre

On the 2nd of October 2012 the TFCA Unit of the South African Department of Environmental Affairs, in collaboration with Peace Parks Foundation, assisted an underprivileged community living on the western boundary of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park recognises the importance of tangible projects and support for communities surrounding the protected area. One such community hosts the Lillydale Home Care Centre, situated in the Bushbuckridge area adjacent to the Transfrontier Park.

The Centre is run by Ms Ndlovu, a dedicated and passionate woman, with little or no assistance from external sources. The Centre cares for people living with HIV/AIDS by supplying them with home-grown organic vegetables. While the Centre has a borehole that is used to water the vegetable gardens, it had no easy way of getting the water to the vegetables, nor any access to seedlings.

In celebration of Nelson Mandela Day, as well as the 10-year anniversary of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, the South African Department of Environmental Affairs’ TFCA Unit, in collaboration with Peace Parks Foundation, assisted the Lillydale Home Care Centre by donating wheelbarrows and hosepipes, as well as various seedlings (5 400 beetroot, 2 000 green pepper and 1 280 butternut) for the vegetable gardens. The seedlings will also be distributed to the neighbouring families in order to start their own vegetable gardens. Additionally, the delegation dedicated 67 minutes of their time to assist with the planting of seedlings, preparation of beds, and watering of the plants.

Political and traditional leaders of the area, as well as the Centre’s personnel and community members, all joined in the efforts to make a meaningful contribution to the Centre and the community it serves.