Establishing an income-generating beekeeping project for Gadra’s blind beneficiaries

Supporting Gadra Advice and Community Work in implementing a beekeeping project for an organized group of blind entrepreneurs will ensure that the emerging beekeepers have advanced beekeeping skills, appropriate beekeeping tools and basic business and financial literacy skills.

Overview

This project provides training and equipment so that an organised group of 6 blind people can become income-generating beekeepers. The beneficiaries have been involved in Gadra’s well-established community programme which includes capacity-building interventions such as independent living courses, leadership programmes and Braille-reading; as well as activities such as gym and bowls. The involvement of the beneficiaries in this income-generating project is a new venture to provide livelihood opportunities for blind people. Gadra has established a public-private partnership with local business, Makana Meadery, who provide the beekeeping training as well as a market for the honey. The emerging Gadra beekeepers have already successfully undertaken the preliminary beekeeping course. All members of this group are heads of their households and their only current income is their disability grant.

NEED - The Problems and Effects

Less than 3% of blind people are employed in South Africa. People are born blind or become blind due to violence, ill health or old age. In the Eastern Cape, there are an estimated 107 000 blind people. They qualify for a disability government grant of R820.00, and in many cases this may be the only income in their households. Lack of opportunities to learn skills, and lack of resources to start businesses results in dependency, low incomes, poor self-esteem and social isolation.

STRATEGY - How to Meet the Need

Gadra Advice and Community Work has a well-established programme to assist blind people in independent living. This includes Braille reading, leadership courses, social and sporting activities. Recently, they have launched vocational skills training with the aim of establishing income-generating projects that will substantially improve the lives of their beneficiaries. There is an existing sewing project for the blind, and the beekeeping project is the second initiative of this kind.

Public-Private partnership for training and market - Gadra has established a public-private partnership with local business Makana Meadery who will provide the beekeeping training. They will work the Gadra beneficiaries to determine a beekeeping course especially for blind people that can be used as a model for transferring new vocational skills to blind people in South Africa. The Gadra group will also supply their honey to Makana Meadery, thus giving them access to a developed market.

Provision of start-up resources - The Gadra beekeepers will establish their hives in a container on the Gadra premises at the Grahamstown Day Hospital. Permissions for this have been secured. There are fields and gardens with ample flowering plants in the surrounding area. The project will provide basic equipment such as smokers, as well as the necessary protective clothing.

Entrepreneurship Training - The Gadra beekeepers will attend the 4 week Basic Business Skills course offered by Umthathi Training. This well-established course was devised with full cognisance of the unit standards and is pitched below Grade 9 level enabling semi-literate and illiterate people to learn how to start and run a business through simulation and experiential learning.The course will cover basic business practice, simulation of a marketplace, how to market and how to keep records.Umthathi will provide a follow-up week of on site evaluation, support and refinement.

PROPOSED ACTION - What This Project Will Do

Preparation: A container, hives, tools and other equipment and protective clothing will be purchased and set up at Gadra.

Implementation: The Gadra beekeepers will undertake the third part of their beekeeping training course with Makana Meadery as well as the 4 week Basic Business Skills training with Umthathi.

Monitoring: The project will be monitored by the manager of Gadra, the director of Makana Meadery.Gadra will provide the necessary financial and administrative services.

Expected Life Change

This investment will enable Gadra to set up the first phase of the beekeeping project that will involve 6 visually-impaired, unemployed beneficiaries. The 2 women and 4 men involved in the pilot project are all heads of households that depend on their disability grants.

• 6 visually-impaired adults will gain new skills in beekeeping which will contribute positively towards their increasing independence and self-esteem.
• The 6 beneficiaries and their 16 dependents will benefit from additional income.
• Gadra’s services for blind people will be expanded into income generation. The organisation will also benefit from having a new revenue stream that will contribute towards their sustainability.
• Direct life change at a cost per life of R1,358.00

This project has breadth, depth, intensity and permanence in that it has the potential to impact positively on the vocational, economic, psychological and social aspects of the beneficiaries’ lives.

What We Like About This Project

The Gadra Beekeeping project will provide new vocational skills and income-generation opportunities for visually-disabled people. This project is designed to set up the beekeeping initiative, and once that has been achieved Gadra plans to expand the project. Two of the beneficiaries are Braille trainers and they are working with the Makana Meadery beekeeping trainer to establish a course to teach blind people how to keep bees. The Gadra project will then be used as the site and resource to involve more visually impaired participants in the endeavour. Gadra has strong relationships with blind associations nationwide and they intend to share the expertise and this model with other projects in order to increase blind people’s vocational and income-generating opportunities in South Africa. Gadra’s established public-private partnership with Makana Meadery provides the beekeepers with a developed market for their honey.

Training, marketing and product development for Hlulani Glass Bead-Making project in Mpumalanga

Regular visits by Khumbulani Craft field trainers to the members of the Hlulani glass bead-making project will upgrade their business skills, and assist with product development and marketing, consolidating the project into a viable and sustainable business to ensure an ongoing source of income for local women.

Overview

Khumbulani Craft’s mission is to contribute towards poverty alleviation through the design, production, marketing and sale of contemporary and traditional craft. The organisation currently assists 400 crafters in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. In the rural villages outside the Kruger Park in Mpumalanga there are high levels of poverty and unemployment, as well as a high prevalence of HIV-AIDS, with few opportunities for income generation. A group of ten women from the Lillydale area on the boundary of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve has been trained to operate machinery donated by Mintek to recycle glass from the game lodges into beads, which are then made into jewellery and other craft items. This project aims to consolidate the Hlulani glass bead-making project through focusing on ongoing product development, quality control, marketing and business training.

NEED - The problems and effects

In the rural villages outside the Kruger Park there are high levels of poverty and unemployment, as well as a high prevalence of HIV-AIDS, with limited opportunities for formal employment. The women of the Hlulani project near Lillydale have successfully responded to the opportunity to use the recycled glass to manufacture beads and beaded items. They have got the bead-making operation off the ground, but do not have the necessary contacts and knowledge to expand their market and develop their product range. They also lack business skills beyond the basic level, and need ongoing support in order to institute a proper system of business administration and make the business viable in the long term.

STRATEGY - How to meet the need

The proposed strategy is for Khumbulani Craft to:

• arrange weekly visits to the Hlulani glass bead-making project throughout the year by a product developer who will give inputs on market trends and new ideas for product design, as well as how to make new types, shapes, colours and combinations of beads
• implement a system of quality control of the beads and bead products through the input of the product developer
• facilitate the craft workers’ networking with other community-based organisations selling beads and other materials which could be incorporated into the designs
• arrange weekly visits to the Hlulani glass bead-making workshop throughout the year by a second field worker who will focus on upgrading the women’s business skills
• take orders to the craft workers, together with materials, and bring a portion of the finished goods to Johannesburg for cataloguing, packing and distribution.

Proposed action

Preparation: In the preparation phase, Khumbulani Craft will liaise with the Hlulani craft workers and draw up a schedule for the weekly visits by two field workers to the project.

Implementation: In the implementation phase, the product developer will visit weekly to give inputs on market trends and new ideas for product design, as well as how to make new types, shapes, colours and combinations of beads. The product developer will implement a system of quality control of the beads and bead products, and facilitate networking with other community-based organisation selling beads and other materials which could be incorporated into the designs. Khumbulani field workers will also bring orders to the crafters, together with some materials, and take a portion of the finished goods back to Johannesburg for cataloguing, packing and distribution. The business trainer field worker will also visit weekly throughout the year and will focus on upgrading the women’s business skills and taking them through training on:

• how to run a committee more effectively
• drawing up a constitution
• opening and managing a bank account
• bookkeeping and financial administration
• pricing of products.

Monitoring: Khumbulani Craft will monitor the impact of their visits on a regular basis and give reportbacks to Khumbulani Craft and to the Hlulani project committee, as well as to funders of the project.

Expected life change

This investment will consolidate the operation of the Hlulani glass bead-making project, through enabling weekly visits by two field workers from Khumbulani Craft, focusing on ongoing product development, quality control, marketing and business training. Expected life change:

• 10 women craft workers will receive weekly inputs on product development and business skills, and assistance will be provided with marketing and quality control, putting the bead-making operation on a sound and sustainable business footing.
• Approximately 80 members of the women’s households will benefit from receiving a regular cash income once the business is consolidated, which can alleviate poverty and improve their nutritional status.
• Direct life change at R1 116.67 per person.

The breadth of the project’s impact is limited to the ten women and their households, but in a poor area like Lillydale with few employment opportunities, this is significant, and as the project expands, more members of the community may be able to benefit. The intervention has depth to it because the Khumbulani field workers will address so many inter-related aspects of running and expanding the business. The level of intensity will be high, with the craft workers receiving two mentoring visits every week from the field workers. The project is also likely to have a permanent impact on the community by helping to ensure the presence of a sustainable business in the area.

What we like about this project

This project follows an example of good practice in enterprise development by providing practical business advice and support to a start-up business. Without the support of Khumbulani it is unlikely that this group of craft workers would be able to expand their product range, improve the quality and expand the quantity of their output, and successfully find markets where their products can be sold at a price which allows for a reasonable profit margin. The project is also exciting because it makes use of an available local resource - since the glass is recycled from bottles used by guests at the 30 game lodges of Sabi Sand Game Reserve. This makes good environmental sense and provides a free material for the business, to which value can then be added. Initially value was added through the assistance of Mintek and the Industrial Development Corporation, who provided the machinery and trained the women in techniques to crush the glass and re-form it into beads using a binding agent, and further value will be added by Khumbulani Craft, who will be assisting the women to consolidate their business.

Growing business skills with Bethlehem farmers whilst also Increasing Household Food Production for Improved Nutrition and Health

Providing impoverished families with the know-how and means to establish and maintain their own household food gardens helps to improve household food security. In addition, training four facilitators and 100 gardeners / small-scale farmers from the Bethlehem area of the Free State in agribusiness skills will equip them to expand their largely subsistence food gardens to sell excess vegetables as well as other crops, and generate a cash income through agribusiness ventures.

Overview

CCS works with communities to eradicate poverty and strengthens community organisations, so that together we bring about healthy, just and compassionate communities in the eastern Free State. Through the Maru project, CCS targets unemployed women, men and youth who are interested in setting up household vegetable gardens. The project also provides small-scale farming support to those who have access to larger plots of land. CCS is addressing the loss of agrarian skills in rural areas by encouraging people to use efficient, environmentally-friendly farming technologies in vegetable production that enhances livelihoods and self-reliance.”

The Catholic Community Service’s (CCS) aims to expand its Maru food security programme by teaching 60 new participants to establish food gardens at their homes. The proposed beneficiaries live in 9 communities of the Thabo Mofutsanyane District of the eastern Free State. These underdeveloped areas have been highlighted by the national government as communities in special need of intervention. For example, in Qwa Qwa there is 78% unemployment. While there is much land available for food production, people lack the knowledge and skills to develop and maintain food gardens that would improve the nutrition and health of their families. There is a great need for organised efforts that empower people to help themselves.

NEED - The Problems and Effects

Unemployment rates of more than 70% and geographical remoteness from job-providing commercial centres renders the majority of households in the rural eastern Free State impoverished and food insecure. Insufficient food causes vulnerability to sickness and poor health all round - maternal health is endangered, children suffer from stunting and the productivity of adults is lowered.

In addition, whilst many households in the rural areas around Bethlehem have very little income and also require cash to buy other foods to ensure nutritional diversity for their other household needs, there are a significant number who have benefited recently from Maru training and are operating food gardens that are already selling an average of 20% of their produce that is not needed for immediate household consumption. What is needed is go one step further, beyond growing for own consumption to growing extra vegetables for sale, and planting other crops that are suitable to soil and climatic conditions and can be marketed, to generate more income.

STRATEGY - How to Meet the Need

CCS has been in operation in the eastern Free State since 1997 providing a wide range of community development services including capacity-building and income generation training, home-based care to the sick, and a programme for orphaned and vulnerable children. Their reach and experience in their communities is extensive. The Maru project was implemented in 2005 to support food insecure households in sustainable vegetable production that improves nutrition and provides opportunities for income generation.

Community mobilisation and organisation - The 60 participants requested to become involved in the project. Meetings have been held to discuss and agree on the strategies for implementation. A conference will be held to evaluate the progress.

Provision of training and support - 60 participants will take part in a 2-day capacity-building course and a 5-day training session in organic vegetable production; thereafter they will be supported by Maru Garden Fieldworkers who visit each household monthly over 12 months. Previous experience has shown that this is adequate time for the beneficiaries to become self-sustaining. Past participants in the programme continue to maintain their food gardens, and Maru estimates that 80% of their yields are currently consumed by the households, enabling the families to earn additional income by selling 20% of their produce.

Multiplication of the intervention by the community - The requirement that each beneficiary trains and supports 5 other households in developing food gardens will typically take place the following year. The Maru Garden Fieldworkers will monitor that each beneficiary does pass on the training to 5 other community members. In 2005, Maru implemented this programme with 100 individuals of whom, 80% did train and support 5 other local community members.

PROPOSED ACTION - What This Project Will Do

Preparation: The required community mobilisation and organisation is well in place. CCS will purchase seeds and tools for each participant.

Implementation: The participants will be trained in vegetable production based on organic farming principles at the Maru agricultural training centre in Bethlehem. Three 7 days workshops will be held for 3 groups of 20 people. Participants are then required to prepare their land. Two Maru Garden Fieldworkers, who are qualified agricultural officers, will visit each prepared site and provide seeds and tools to those who are ready to cultivate their gardens. Over a period of one year, the Maru Garden Fieldworkers will continue to support the participants through 12 site visits to each participant.

Monitoring: The Maru Garden Fieldworkers will visit each beneficiary once a month for 12 months. They will complete an assessment process, monitoring progress and identifying any problems per visit. CCS will conduct an annual evaluation to determine the impact

Expected Life Change

This investment expands the CCS Maru food gardening project so that the 60 new participants will be trained and supported to develop their own household food gardens. Each beneficiary agrees to train and support 5 other households in their neighbourhood, so that the benefits of the programme multiply without intervention.

• 60 participants will take part in a 2-day capacity-building course and a 5-day training session in organic vegetable production; thereafter they will be supported by Maru Garden Fieldworkers who visit each household monthly over 12 months.
• 480 people in these food insecure households will benefit from including fresh vegetables in their diet. There will also be additional household income generated by the sale of an estimated 20% of the produce.
• Direct life change at a cost per life of R939.58

There will be further life change impact for 300 other families (some 2400 additional people) as the participants undertake to each train and support 5 households in developing their own gardens.

This project has breadth, depth, intensity and permanence in that it has the potential to impact positively on the economic, social, psychological, physical and vocational aspects of the beneficiaries’ lives.

What We Like About This Project

CCS’s Maru programme increases the capacity of the rural poor, who are particularly dependent on agriculture for survival, by providing them with the training and support for sustainable food gardening. The agricultural training is based on environmentally-friendly organic principles. The programme promotes wider, sustainable community development through the requirement that participants each train and support 5 other households in establishing vegetable gardens. This a vital ‘entry-level’ intervention that helps to counteract the immediate hunger and malnutrition debilitating families, while establishing the degree of community mobilisation and empowerment that is necessary for the implementation of further, more comprehensive food security strategies.

60 participants from food insecure households, who have access to sufficient land and water, have applied to the Maru programme to be part of this project. They have agreed that once their gardens are established, they will each teach 5 members of their community how to establish their own household gardens. Thus, the benefits of the project can multiply in the communities without further invention.

This project follows an example of good practice in food security enterprise development by facilitating the acquisition of business, financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills in small-scale farmers and gardeners in an impoverished community, enabling them to start small agribusinesses and improve their household income prospects as well as their food security. AgriPlanner goes beyond the practicalities of simply growing to look at how growers could make the most productive use of the land and maximize their financial income. It provides a comprehensive business development and entrepreneurship training programme that adds value to other gardening skills training programmes and enables growers and small-scale farmers to take the first steps from basic subsistence (food security) to income-generation and small business development. AgriPlanner directly supports growers in establishing and running viable businesses and gives the knowledge and means through which they can begin to enter the formal economy. We believe it has the potential to contribute significantly to job creation and income generation in this area.

Rehabilitating a community-owned blueberry orchard

TRAC-Mpumalanga works with disadvantaged rural communities to promote human rights, tenure rights and sustainable development. This project enables TRAC to facilitate the rehabilitation of a blueberry orchard on the Coromandel Trust farm Bosoord, measuring 6176 hectares, between Lydenburg and Dullstroom in the Thabu Chewu Municipality, Ehlanzeni District of Mpumalanga Province. The Coromandel Trust is a large Land Reform for Agricultural Purposes project funded by the Department of Land Affairs (DLA) grants and a loan from the Land Bank. With individual applicants qualifying for a grant of R 25 000 an opportunity was created for Coromandel farm workers to buy the farm through the Coromandel Trust, consisting of 248 shareholders and their families.

Coromandel has a solid business plan in place, producing milk, blueberries, peaches, nectarines, maize under irrigation and soya and beans on dry land. The 6ha blueberry orchard has experienced declining yields through frost and hail damage, however, and needs to be rehabilitated and protected against further damage. A mentored rehabilitation programme including training of staff will ensure that the blueberry crop increases and improves in quality, raising the farm’s turnover over the next three years, helping the trust to pay off a loan to the Land Bank and improving the shareholders’ financial security.

What we like about this project

• The ultimate result of this project will be the increased generation of wealth for the Coromandel Trust members.
• The project will stimulate the local economy in the Thabu Chewu municipality and will realise foreign exchange earnings for South Africa, given the growing demand for blueberries on international markets.
• The image of South Africa’s land reform programme will also benefit from having a successful project that can portray the programme in a positive light both nationally and internationally.
  
• Coromandel is already an exceptional project in that the former farmworkers are managing the project with almost no external assistance, and it has been referred to as a model land reform project by many researchers.
• The social impact of this project will be significant and positive since the 248 shareholders and their dependents will feel more secure about their future on the farm. Increased job security and incomes for the permanent and seasonal staff working on the orchards will greatly improve their household living standards. This will also have a motivational benefit for them, family members and all members of the project as they see success in the enterprise. This will improve the cohesiveness of the shareholders, their commitment to participate and support aspects of the project, as well as their interest in developing other economic opportunities, e.g. producing blueberry jam, and packaging and transport services related to the blueberry orchard.

Expected life change

An investment of R873 550 will enable a mentored programme to rehabilitate the blueberry orchards on Bosoord Farm.

• The beneficiaries of this project are 248 adult farm workers who reside on the property. Each of the farmworkers is a household head with a spouse and dependents.
• All the shareholders in the Coromandel Trust and their 865 dependents – a total of 1 113 people – will benefit directly from this project as it creates more stability on the farm and reduces the threat of liquidation. This security is important in terms of the sense of well-being and commitment to support the Trust from the ordinary shareholders.
• Particular benefits accruing from the expansion and rehabilitation of the blueberry orchards would include increased job security for nine permanent and 57 seasonal workers in the blueberry orchards.
• There will be additional temporary employment of staff to work on the rehabilitation project for a period of two to three months for the rehabilitation phase of the project.
• Additional seasonal jobs (four month contracts) may be created during the harvest season in years 2 and 3.
• The incomes generated from the blueberry orchards would increase from year 1 (due to the rehabilitation exercise). This would further increase in year 2 and in year 3 of the project. These improved income levels would greatly assist Coromandel Trust to service the current debt with the Land Bank, reducing the threat of bank repossession.
• The improvement to the existing orchards would increase the value of the farm, making the farmworkers more eligible to obtain further production loans.
• Direct life change at R785 per person.

This project has breadth because it affects so many people’s lives through helping the farm to remain viable. It has depth and intensity because it involves training and equipping the farmworkers with skills to better manage both the orchard and the farm in future. The project has permanence in that the increased blueberry yield will result in improved income and ability to service debts, and this will in turn improve the Trust’s access to loan finance and put the farm on a sustainable footing long-term.

Need

Taking into account the current productive capacity of the farm, their ability to cover operational expenses as well as generate dividends to service their Land Bank loan, is very limited. In addition since they have a large loan to repay they cannot access further loan capital from the Land Bank or from the private lending institutions, to expand commercial operations on the farm. Currently the Trust has not had the funds to maintain the existing six hectares of blueberries. As such there has been a gradual decline in yields and the quality of blueberries produced. Without rehabilitation this lucrative enterprise will decline further- thus reducing repayment abilities even further.

If they are unable to service their loan amounts they will eventually face liquidation and have the farm auctioned off. This would be an extremely disruptive and painful experience for all the farm dwellers, most of whom have resided on the farm since 1951. In all likelihood no single individual would be in a position to buy the entire farm so it would be cut up into pieces and sold to different owners. This might result in significant job losses as well as possible attempts to evict the families from their homes.

Strategy

This project involves the rehabilitation and protection of the 6 hectares of blueberry orchards with the following expected impact:

• It is estimated that the rehabilitation of the existing 6 hectares would provide an additional profit of R299 085 in year 1.
• In year 2 it is estimated that a profit of R339 296 would be generated on the rehabilitated orchards.
• In year 3 it is forecast that a profit of R 390 497 would be generated. These increased profits would greatly contribute towards the current loan repayments Coromandel has to make. In addition the profits forecast are extremely conservative, implying that it is likely that they would be higher.

Currently Coromandel produces three grades of blueberries that are supplied to three different markets as follows:

Grade	Market	Price Per kg	Current Production per grade (%)	Envisaged Production per grade after rehabilitation (%)
1st grade	European Union	R 40.00 –R 70.00 per kg	10%	25-50%
2nd grade	Local Market supplies Pick and Pay and Woolworths	R 30.00 – R 50.00 per kg	40%	25-50%
3rd grade	Local market for jams	R 22.00 – R 32.00 per kg	50%	25-50%

The rehabilitation of the current blueberry orchards will result in an improvement in the quality of blueberries produced. This will improve the price and overall profitability of the orchards. (Note that the prices fluctuate significantly in all the markets depending on supply, foreign exchange rates as well as demand both locally and internationally.) Below is a detailed projection of costs, incomes, profit and loss on the project

CURRENT AND FUTURE CASH FLOWS ON THE BLUEBERRY PROJECT
Year	Net Income	Costs*	Profit/Loss
Current*	320 000	480 000	-160 000
Year 1	1 117 500	818 415	299 085
Year 2	1 215 000	875 704	339 296
Year 3	1 327 500	937 003	390 497
Total Profit/Loss	3 980 000	3 111 122	868 878

• A 7% increment in operational costs are included for years 1, 2 and 3.

Other benefits include:

• Improved ability to secure a significant marketing contract. With the scale of production and quality improving in the next three years, Coromandel will be able to attract a sizable marketing contract for their blueberries. This stable income would be extremely valuable in terms of keeping the project financially secure.
• Increased residential security of tenure, as the loan payments are serviced the risk of loosing their homestead decreases.
• Improved community cohesiveness, participation and ownership of the project due to higher levels of employment and income generation.
• Improved skills amongst the project members as they gain further knowledge and experience in the production of blueberries.
• Overall income levels of seasonal and permanent staff would improve due to the stability of the orchards and the farm overall.

Action plan

Preparation

Basic preparation is already completed. Coromandel will need to get quotes from nurseries for the cultivation of the blueberries as well as for the purchase of material. Thereafter the Trust will enter into a contract with the service providers (2 weeks). Coromandel will need to undertake a detailed evaluation of the existing orchard as well as irrigation infrastructure for the rehabilitation phase (3 weeks). Coromandel will need to recruit additional staff on a fixed-term contract during the rehabilitation phase to repair hail nets, erect protective sheets for frost and plant trees (3 weeks).

The preparation phase could therefore be completed within a 2-month period.

Implementation

• Conclusion of service agreements with sub-contractors or suppliers (1 month)
• Payment of deposits or purchases in terms of these agreements (ongoing)
• Monitoring the work of sub-contractors appointed to rehabilitate the irrigation equipment, and monitoring of staff in terms of the rehabilitation of the existing 6 Ha of orchards (4 months)
• Final disbursements to sub-contractors upon completion of the work (2 weeks)
• Identification of training needs and the appointment of a training institution (6 weeks)
• Implementation of the training programme, most likely in the form of various short courses (4 months)
• During this period it would be essential to negotiate with the marketing agents to secure a contract for the following season (2 months).

Total project implementation can be done within nine months as many of these activities can be done simultaneously.

Monitoring

Monitoring of the implementation of the project plan will take place at weekly meetings of the Coromandel Trust. TRAC-MP will attend monthly progress meetings to measure progress against the detailed plan. In addition a mentor will be appointed to assist the blueberry orchard manager with technical support as well as to identify training needs on the project. TRAC-MP would like to involve both the Department of Land Affairs and the Department of Agriculture’s officials in the project for capacity building and networking purposes.

Evaluation of the project will be done on various levels. Firstly all role-players in the project team will measure performance based on the projections made in the detailed implementation plan (monthly). At the end of the first harvest the impact from the rehabilitated orchards in terms of volumes for sale and incomes will be evident. This will be the first real test to determine project success. On an annual basis thereafter sales can be compared to the 2006 harvest (the baseline) to indicate increased incomes from the project.

The impact of the training on the existing staff working on the blueberry orchards will also need to be evaluated. Indicators that measure productivity of staff will need to be developed in consultation with the orchards manager.

This project will also be evaluated independently by the Department of Land Affairs’ Monitoring and Evaluation Unit at various intervals, most likely annually.

Organisational evaluation

TRAC has a good record of working in this sector – it is well aware of beneficiaries’ needs and the social problems that they are facing. The organisation has strong relationships with other role-players on a national basis, and there is a strong emphasis within the organisation on research and building staff capacity. The current director may leave, but there is a clear succession plan in place. TRAC knows its future requirements (HR, systems, infrastructure etc.) but needs additional financial resources. The organisation received qualified audited statements in 2005 because of its lack of financial reserves. Income generation activities should be increased and more resources allocated to fundraising.

Risk profile

Key Strengths

• Concept: Coromandel Trust is already farming blueberries, so consolidating this aspect of the operation makes sense. The Trust has all the technical skills needed to upgrade the blueberry orchard, which will ultimately increase its income, but lacks finance in the short term. The project will result in improved livelihoods for all the families who are part of the Coromandel Trust. A better blueberry crop over the next three years will help repay the Trust’s bond with the Land Bank, which will in turn enable it to start accessing more loan finance.
  
• Design: This is a thoroughly designed intervention involving a detailed plan for the actual rehabilitation, as well as mentoring and training. The use of windbreak trees shows forward thinking, as they will last long term once the plastic sheeting deteriorates. The project funding is being matched by Coromandel Trust who will pay the administration, packaging, transport and staff costs. TRAC-MP has consulted extensively with the Coromandel leadership around the development of this project. TRAC-MP has developed contracts for employment of mentors, staff and service providers that will be used on this project – proven effective in the Mpumalanga Management and Mentorship Pilot Programme in promoting self-sufficiency and independence of the Trust. The training aspect of the project is designed to be practical and participatory to ensure that the management and staff acquire appropriate skills that contribute towards improved production both in terms of increasing yields and minimizing costs.
  
• Capability: The staff on the farm are experienced in running the orchard, and the TRAC-MP staff have the necessary skills for the successful implementation of the project. Staff from the Department of Agriculture’s Nooitgedacht office will also provide technical inputs and support in terms of the propagation of the blueberry seedlings. The main service provider will be a mentor appointed to advise and support the orchards manager. In addition an accredited training institution will be appointed to train both managerial staff and workers working in the orchard. A local nursery will be appointed to cultivate the blueberry bushes.
  
• Control: TRAC has a good record in terms of financial control and the funding for this project will be channelled through TRAC.
  
• Sustainability: With the rehabilitation of the existing six hectares there will be immediate increases in the income generated by the farm. This will enable Coromandel Trust to service their loan. If the Trust’s loan repayment is regularly serviced the Trust will be able to apply for additional loan finance to cover production costs, maintenance and new economic opportunities that may arise. This will greatly enhance the independence of Coromandel Trust as they will not be at risk of loosing their jobs and homes. The business is sustainable – the farm has a market for its products and a plan in place for expansion. TRAC-MP attends monthly meetings at Coromandel and will continue to monitor their progress. TRAC-MP will build Coromandel’s capacity, including improved business skills. Coromandel has National Development Agency funding to expand the blueberry production and increase turnover, and it is diversifying by renting out houses on the property for income. By having a training component this project will further strengthen the sustainability and independence of the project as the trained staff will be able to make important management, maintenance, planning and quality assurance decisions themselves.
• External:

Key Risks

• Design: The way the project is structured means that its success depends to a high degree on the effectiveness of the mentor, not yet hired, over the nine-month period.
  
• Capability: An appropriate mentor has not yet been found and someone with the right combination of skills and sensitivities may be difficult to find. Coromandel Trust do not at present have the skills to draw up a business plan themselves, but this is mitigated by TRAC-MP’s assistance and the training that will be provided.
  
• Sustainability: Plastic sheeting lasts 3-5 years only, and hail netting will need repairs, but this is mitigated by the fact that the windbreak trees will be bigger by then. A bond of R1.2 million has to be paid from Dec 2008 which puts pressure on the Trust, since non-payment could result in repossession of the farm by the bank. This is, however, mitigated by the expansion and diversification of production, as well as this project, which should substantially increase income.
  
• External: Conflict between management and workers is possible. Skilled black managers may leave. The Trust has a land claim pending against it (but only involving a small portion of the farm). Frost and hail may be worse even than expected. Duikers and bush pigs may eat the blueberries from the young trees. The price of blueberries may drop (but this is mitigated by the fact that the farm is diversifying).

Malumalele Onwards: Building the capacity of caregivers to provide rehabilitative therapy to children disabled by cerebral palsy

Training mothers, caregivers and rehabilitation staff at the remote Malamulele Hospital and its satellite clinics ensures that disabled children from disadvantaged communities receive the rehabilitative therapies that they urgently need.

VISION - in their own words

“Our vision is to reach out to disabled children in the most disadvantaged areas of South Africa, and further into Southern Africa. We are specifically interested in children with cerebral palsy as they have most complex needs and problems. We aim to improve the lives of the children with cerebral palsy and their caregivers. We also provide support to local rehabilitation staff responsible for providing services to these children and their families.”

Overview

Malamulele Onwards is a volunteer project that works with the Malamulele hospital and its satellite clinics to provide essential rehabilitative therapies to children who are severely disabled by cerebral palsy. This project builds on a highly successful and pioneering pilot intervention undertaken in 2005. The intervention will provide a focused block of therapy involving 50 children, their 50 caregivers and 9 local rehabilitation health workers. A team involving 20 volunteer therapists from the South African Neurodevelopmental Therapy Association (SANDTA) will assess the different capacities and needs of the children, and devise and carry out treatment programmes, while working in consultation with the mothers and rehabilitation staff during an intensive 5-day course. Skills will be transferred and assistive devices will be provided to both the caregivers and the clinics to ensure that they are able to continue with the professionally designed treatment programmes.

NEED - The Problems and Effects

Neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT) is the developed world’s most commonly used approach for the assessment, management and treatment of children with cerebral palsy. South Africa has over 400 accredited NDT therapists of whom more than 80% are in private practice. There are currently very few NDT trained therapists working in the public health care system; and a remote, rural area such as Malamulele has no NDT practitioners. Children disabled by cerebral palsy have multiple and complex needs, which if not addressed lead to further physical deterioration and an unacceptable quality of live. Mothers and caregivers are also heavily burdened by the intensive care required by their children.

STRATEGY - How to Meet the Need

The Malamulele Onwards project builds on an innovative pilot study conducted in 2005 that yielded outstanding results from 12 NDT trained therapists delivering an intensive 5-day block of treatment to 30 children.

• Neurodevelopmental therapy - this internationally recognised therapy in the assessment, treatment and management of children with cerebral palsy will be used.

• Block of therapy - Based on the successful results of the 2005 pilot, the treatment intervention will again be structured as an intensive 5-day block of therapy.

• Capacity- building of caregivers - The intervention involves the caregivers at every stage so that they each become aware of the special needs of their child and are able to continue treatment at home.

• Provision of Assistive Devices - Assistive devices will be provided and individually fitted. Caregivers are trained on how to use and look after the equipment.

• Capacity-building of rehabilitative staff - rehabilitation health care workers will be involved in all stages of the project, thereby increasing their knowledge of NDT and building their capacity to deliver quality services to their patients

PROPOSED ACTION - What This Project Will Do

Preparation: 4 therapists will conduct a two-day needs assessment of 50 children.

Implementation: 20 therapists will conduct the 5-day treatment intervention, including daily hands-on therapy and training of the children’s caregivers in how to continue the programme at home. Each child will be provided and fitted with the assistive devices and splints they need. Rehabilitative staff will be closely involved in all aspects of the intervention.

Monitoring: 4 therapists will conduct a two-day reassessment and evaluation including reassessment of all children; checking of assistive devices; random home visits, and interviews with caregivers.

Expected Life Change

An investment of R230 000.00 enables Malamulele Onwards to assess 50 children; devise and provide treatment programmes for them while transferring skills to caregivers and hospital staff.

• 50 children, severely disabled by cerebral palsy, will receive specialised treatment that they would otherwise not have access to.
• 50 caregivers will be trained to continue to provide basic therapies to their children and to continue to help develop their children’s potential.
• 9 rehabilitative health workers will be exposed to capacity-building skills they would otherwise not have access to.
• Expected life change at a cost per life of R2110.09

This project has the potential to impact positively on the health, social, psychological and physical aspects of the beneficiaries’ lives.

What We Like About This Project

Malamulele Onwards brings highly specialised skills and services to under-resourced communities where children who are severely disabled by cerebral palsy have little or no access to the rehabilitative therapies that can enhance their potential and improve their lives. In its policies, Department of Health 2000. Rehabilitation for All. National Rehabilitation Policy. Pretoria; Department of Health and Department of Health 2001 A Comprehensive Primary Health Care Service Package for South Africa. Pretoria, the South African government defines rehabilitative health services as part of the country’s Primary Health Care services. This project enables remote, rural communities to receive rehabilitative skills and knowledge that they would otherwise have no access to, thus bolstering the communities’ capacity for Primary Health Care.

Increasing Community Wellness and Self-Reliance through a Permaculture Food Garden

Providing training and resources in permaculture farming, business skills and better nutrition, boosts a community garden project enabling them to improve food security, nutrition and health.

Overview

FTFA is a national greening organisation that develops, manages and promotes greening, sustainable natural resource management and food security programmes that contribute to poverty alleviation, improved environments, capacity-building and skills development, increasingly with people living with HIV/AIDS.

The North West Province has a poverty rate of 52.2%, and an ultra-poverty rate of 28.2%. The per capita income is below the national average. An estimated 56% of Africans in the province live in poverty. 60.7% of people in the rural areas live in poverty compared to 39.0% in urban centres. In Makapanstad, 50 km north west of Pretoria, most adults are unemployed, and many seasonally migrate to the urban areas in search of work. Incomes are low, and 67% of the population earns less than R300 per month. While some farming is practised, there is little agricultural know-how and technologies that can be used to generate sustainable livelihoods. The A Re Direng Care Givers (ARDCG) is a volunteer group that supports the Moretele Clinic in Makapanstad by delivering home-based care services to patients. They have approached Food & Trees For Africa for assistance in implementing a permaculture food gardening project. ARDCG recognises that food security and improved nutrition and health are of extreme importance to themselves, and to others in the community who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Food and Trees For Africa (FTFA) works to alleviate poverty through greening, sustainable natural resource management and food security programmes.

NEED - The Problems and Effects

Makapanstad is characterised by low household income and high incidence of HIV/AIDS which is exacerbated by poor nutrition. The majority of households are food insecure. Insufficient food causes vulnerability to sickness and poor health all round - maternal health is endangered, children suffer from stunting and the productivity of adults is lowered. The lack of significant local commerce results in few employment opportunities and motivates the migration of job-seeking adults to urban centres. The remaining family members have no access to agricultural technologies, know-how and resources and their households are trapped in poverty.

STRATEGY - How to Meet the Need

Over the past 15 years, FTFA has implemented more than 1000 permaculture food gardens in impoverished communities. FTFA screens community groups and the beneficiaries selected are those with high levels of mobilisation, organisation and accountability. FTFA’S project methodology is based on sustainable land use design using permaculture as a tool. The implementation process is developed in consultation with the community group and an agreement between FTFA and the beneficiaries is determined. This defines the expectations, services, responsibilities and the exit strategy, ensuring that the beneficiaries are empowered to maintain, and even expand their food gardening activities in the community.

Sustainable Land Use Design - FTFA promotes sustainable natural resource management and environmentally-friendly agriculture in order to achieve improved, food-rich environments in poor communities. This includes teaching and employing resource-efficient permaculture principles and techniques, and focusing on water and soil conservation

Provision of training, resources and on-site support - FTFA will provide ARDCG with intensive training and support in the development and maintenance of a community permaculture food garden. Plants, materials and tools will be supplied to the group. FTFA also provide a borehole, rainwater harvesting tanks and an irrigation system. FTFA will support and monitor the project over 12 months.

PROPOSED ACTION - What This Project Will Do

Preparation: A project steering committee comprised of FTFA and ARDCG members will be established to oversee the project with quarterly meetings for reporting and decision-making. FTFA will purchase all materials and resources. Preference will be given to reputable, affordable, quality local and BEE suppliers.

Implementation: The fencing, borehole, water tanks and irrigation system will be established. 11 ARDCG beneficiaries will participate in ten 3-day on-site courses. They will receive training in permaculture principles and techniques, soil and water conservation, as well as the optimal use of vegetables, indigenous medicinal plants and herbs for improved nutrition and health. ARDCG will also be trained in business skills, marketing, packaging and selling produce. Two members of the group will attend a two-week Intensive Permaculture Course equipping them with more in-depth skills that will enable them to strengthen the project into the future. FTFA will provide vegetable seedlings, fruit trees, herbs, medicinal plants, tools, compost, mulch and topsoil, as well as educational resources.

Monitoring: FTFA staff will manage and administer the project. FTFA trainers will conduct 10 site visits. Tasks and activities will be evaluated in terms of the project framework at each visit. The joint Project Steering Committee is responsible for ongoing record-keeping and reporting. FTFA will conduct a comprehensive annual evaluation.

Expected Life Change

This investment provides training and support to the ARDCG in the development of a community permaculture food garden including the provision of a borehole and irrigation system. The beneficiaries will also receive training in business skills, marketing, sales and product packaging enabling them to generate income from surplus produce.

• 11 members of the ARDCG will participate in a 12month project that includes training and support. They will learn new skills in permaculture, soil and water conservation and food production. They will gain new knowledge in environmental awareness and nutrition and health.
• 88 people in these households will experience the impact of improved nutrition through fresh vegetables and fruit, as well as increased disposable income due to sales of surplus produce.
• Direct life change at a cost per life of R2,553.41

There will also be further life change impact for the 60 patients at the Moretele clinic and 25 households in the home-based care system, as well as the children at the local school and identified orphaned and vulnerable children, who will be the beneficiaries of ARDCG food security outreach activities.

This project has breadth, depth, intensity and permanence in that it has the potential to impact positively on the economic, social, psychological, physical and vocational aspects of the beneficiaries’ lives.

What We Like About This Project

FTFA increases food insecure communities’ access to environmentally-friendly agricultural technologies, resources and training, building their capacity to reduce hunger and poverty. The focus on resource-efficient permaculture technologies transfers environmental awareness and skills that enable resource-poor food gardeners to still achieve good yields. Permaculture techniques such as companion planting and the use of natural pest repellents reduce losses due to pests. Through the provision of a borehole and rainwater harvesting tanks, FTFA are increasing the community’s access to water. The project makes provision for 2 members of the group to attend a further certified two-week permaculture course that will empower them to teach others more in-depth skills. As 9 out of the 11 ARDCG members are women, the project has a focus on increasing women-headed household’s access to agricultural technologies and resources.

ARDCG plans to implement food security outreach strategies which include providing fresh vegetables to the Moretele Clinic, to a nearby school, to specific children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and to patients who are ill at home. They intend to generate sustainable income from the sale of surplus produce. ARDCG is an organised group of 11 members with a constitution, a management structure, and agreement on the project’s mission, strategies and expected outcomes. This project empowers these active members to increase food security, improve wellness and further development in their impoverished community.

Netreg Pilot Project to launch the regulation of the carting industry on the Cape Flats

Supporting the Cart Horse Protection Association to implement this pilot project will begin a process of formalising and regulating the carting industry on the Cape Flats, in order to protect working cart horses from abuse and to promote existing means of income generation for the carting community, as well as potential new opportunities.

VISION in their own words

“The cart horse owners and drivers will have the opportunity to participate in a regulated industry and will benefit from further income generation projects such as tourism and cleansing, thus having a more secure income. The skills development and training will give members of the carting community the opportunity to generate an income by employing their farrier and saddlery skills in the community and to develop their own small business. CHPA aims to restore the working cart horse as a proud part of Cape Town’s heritage.”

Overview

The Cart Horse Protection Association (CHPA) aims to protect the working cart horse from abuse by developing a culture of responsibility, accountability and ownership amongst cart horse owners and through service provision, support, education and training, to demonstrate the economic importance of maintaining the health of a working horse so as to decrease the dependency of the carting community on welfare.

Through this pilot project, 43 working cart horses and their owners, drivers and guards from the Netreg cart horse community in Cape Town will benefit, as well as their households. The owners will be provided with good quality harnesses and new carts which will not cause injury to the horses, and have their carts registered and issued with “licence plates”. They and their employees will be engaged in a dialogue on the welfare of the horses and the system of addressing callouts from the public on poor treatment. Some of the beneficiaries will receive training in farriery and harness making, and income generation opportunities will be created for a group of previously disadvantaged cart builders and harness makers.

NEED - The Problems and Effects

A range of problems arises from the fact that the use of horse and cart on public roads is an informal and unregulated industry, which impacts on the welfare of the working horse and the sustainable development of the carting industry. There are currently no formal arrangements between the CHPA and the owners, and no requirement for cart registration or roadworthiness certificates. Many owners remain uneducated around the expectations of the CHPA and other regulatory bodies. The CHPA regularly receive reports of horses worked in poor conditions, lame and with harness wounds, horses worked to exhaustion, horses injured from loads falling forward and car accidents, and the lack of identification plates makes it difficult to track offenders down.

Many of the carts are unroadworthy, with an unsuitable chassis, flat and worn tyres, wobbly wheels, a rotting cart base, no braking system, no warning chevrons, with the swivel and haft connection held together with wire and string. Drivers often do not comply with traffic rules and regulations - not stopping at stop streets or traffic lights, using horse and cart for illegal purposes, underage drivers, drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs, no ID documents or driver’s licence, standing upright while driving, speeding, taking on dangerous loads and overloading carts, or leaving cart horses unattended on public roads. All of these problems have the effect of posing a serious threat to the safety of the cart horses, drivers, guards and the road users.

STRATEGY - How to Meet the Need

The Netreg cart horse owning community was identified for a pilot project to launch the regulation of the carting industry because it is a small area with a high concentration of cart horses and owners, who vary from very responsible to totally non-compliant with CHPA standards. The pilot project will involve educating owners on the services and standards of the CHPA, and relevant animal protection, traffic and environmental health legislation, working towards the owners’ acceptance of responsibility and accountability for the management of their horses and drivers. By formalising the industry it is also hoped to create a more positive perception of the cart horse owners and drivers in the wider Cape Town community.

The strategy will ensure that the carts are upgraded, and that these horses are well fed, in good health and free from neglect or abuse. The idea behind registration of the carts is that law enforcement and members of the public will be able to identify the carts on public roads and report abuses or illegal behaviour, improving both road safety and treatment of the animals. Replacing the old and often harmful carts and harnesses and getting the owners to make a commitment to ongoing maintenance will mean less injury to the horses and increased potential to expand into other areas using a horse and cart, such as tourism and cleansing, which could provide a more secure source of income. Some of the participants will receive skills development and training in farriery and saddlery, providing them with an opportunity to develop their own small businesses.

PROPOSED ACTION - What This Project Will Do

The project will involve actions to:

• provide feed, farriery, harness making and veterinary services at static clinic sites, making these services accessible and affordable
• enrol the participation of owners and drivers in the expectation of the CHPA and other regulatory bodies and vice versa through formal agreements
• provide owners with regular reports on the heath and welfare of their horses and conduct of their drivers
• provide owners with new standardised harnesses and carts, ensuring that they buy in to maintaining these through signing contracts with them
• select members of the carting community to sign on to the International League for the Protection of Horses’ training programmes as farriers and harness makers, economically empowering them
• continue to operate the mobile clinic and respond to callouts from the public, police, welfare services, and requests for assistance from the owners and drivers.

Expected Life Change

An investment of R95 500.00 enables the project to be rolled out with 43 working cart horses in the Netreg area and the households who depend on working with them.

• The first beneficiaries of the project are the 43 working cart horses from the Netreg community.
• Other direct beneficiaries include three cart horse owners who own and work their horses, and 15 other owners who own a number of horses and carts and rent them out for a daily fee.
• 41 drivers who rent a horse and cart to collect scrap metal will benefit, as will 94 guards, who are employed by the drivers to assist in the loading of scrap metal and security.
• Five harness makers and six cart builders from previously disadvantaged backgrounds will benefit from being commissioned to make new harnesses and build new carts for the 43 horses.
• An average of five dependents per beneficiary will also benefit from an improvement in income-generating prospects - 815 people altogether.
• Direct life change at a cost per life of R93.54.

What We Like About This Project

This project is a far-sighted one that could establish a model of best practice in promoting animal protection while at the same time assisting an impoverished community to enhance its income generation opportunities and build its skills base. Over the past five years the CHPA has demonstrated that by lifting the standards of the working horse in Cape Town and providing skills development and training there has been a visible impact on the cart horse owners’ sense of pride in their horses and the industry, with a keen interest from many in acquiring new skills and training. The pilot project provides a good test run for the regulation process and will be hopefully be rolled out in future phases to the other 493 working horses on the CHPA’s books.

A dedicated cat maternity unit

Every year, as spring approaches, animal shelters are overrun with pregnant cats and cats with kittens: the “kitten season”. It is a difficult time for animal rescue organisations, and those such as TEARS who are pro-life are particularly hard-pressed to find sufficient, suitable accommodation for the influx of cats and kittens. The existing facility at TEARS is not equipped to deal with these special needs cats, which means increased stress levels and a consequent increase in disease.

This project will set up a dedicated cat maternity unit, creating a stress- and disease-free environment for the abandoned animals. The mother and kitten unit will have 5 individual pens and facilities for sterilising the mother cats once homes have been found for their kittens.

What we like about this project

• As a pro-life animal shelter, TEARS makes a huge effort to find homes for every one of the kittens and cats.
  
• Their excellent sterilisation policy and procedures will help to reduce the problem of feral cats and unwanted animals.
  
• The project has been thoroughly researched and TEARS have a great deal of expert knowledge in this area.
  
• Staff have designed the new units specifically to address a current pressing need.

Expected life change

An investment of R 92,700 will provide a peaceful sanctuary for around 100 pregnant cats and cats with kittens every year during the “kitten season”.

This will reduce the number of unwanted and feral cats in the long term as well as provide compassionate care to cats in distress.

Need

Every year, when the “kitten season” starts, animal shelters are unable to cope with the increased number of abandoned pregnant cats, cats with kittens and litters of kittens which are either brought to shelters by caring members of the public or rescued from dire situations by fieldworkers and volunteers.

The ever-increasing feral cat populations of the southern peninsula are also a problem and need to be trapped, sterilised and returned to their habitats where they can be monitored. And although many organisations sterilise abandoned animals and companion animals in disadvantaged communities, they cannot overcome the problem of overpopulation.

The present facility at TEARS is inadequate to deal with the numbers of cats and kittens that arrive on their doorstep which means that the cats become stressed, resulting in them contracting illnesses like snuffles.

Strategy

A facility separate from the other cats, with limited access by trained staff and volunteers is needed. Some mother cats will have to spend a minimum of 8-12 weeks in their unit and it is important to ensure that their physical and emotional well-being is not compromised. A separate Cat Maternity Unit consisting of a Kwikspace modular unit, divided into five pens, with a sink and small storage area dedicated to this facility to prevent cross contamination from other areas.

The cats will be sterilized after their kittens have been homed. The cat and kitten adoption fee of R400 covers the first vaccination, deworming, frontlining, sterilisation and microchipping. If a kitten is too young (under 5 months) to be sterilised, contact is made with the owner when the sterilisation is due, and the kitten is either returned to TEARS for sterilisation or taken to a veterinary practice which supports TEARS.

Action plan

Preparation

A meeting has been arranged with a representative from Kwikspace Modular Homes to visit the premises to find a suitable area to place the unit

Implementation

Delivery of the unit will take approximately 4 weeks. Once delivered, it will take another week to divide the unit into 5 compartments and install a sink and small storage area, with another week being set aside to install water and electricity.

Monitoring

Each pregnant cat or cat with kittens will be carefully monitored with regard to their stress levels and general health. Once the kittens have been homed or moved to the kitten pen, the mother cats will be sterilised. The units will be fully utilised until the end of the “kitten season” which is usually around April/May each year

Risk profile

Key Strengths

• Concept: Sterilisation of cats and kittens (when they are old enough) prevents further breeding. Providing pregnant cats and cats with kittens with a safe home ensures that these cats find suitable homes and are not abandoned.
  
• Design: Sterile units prevents diseases like snuffles. The new unit builds on and improves current facilities and methods, thereby improving the services offered by TEARS.
• Capability: Heading up the project is Rita Brock, a qualified animal behaviourist who specialises in cat behaviour. Staff have conducted extensive research – in consultation with vets – to set up the current cattery and have good experience of working with feral cats.
  
• Control: Their financial statements are externally audited annually.
  
• Sustainability: The unit will be located on TEARS’ new premises at Wenga Farm which is owned by TEARS.
  

Key Risks

• Design: An education component would help raise awareness in the community about sterilisation, looking after pregnant cats and the problem of unwanted cats.
  
• Capability: There are no continuity plans in place if Rita Brock were to leave. The cat projects may not continue at their current level without her specialised input.
  
• Control: No dedicated accounting software, they use a customised Excel document.
  
• Sustainability: Wenga Farm is a bonded property with monthly mortgage repayments which are significantly higher than their current rent. There will be high set-up costs at the new facility. TEARS haven’t moved to Wenga Farm yet and the cattery will be the first facility on the new premises.
  
• External: Serious disease outbreak. People who buy kittens may not bring them back to be sterilised although this is mitigated by a policy of regular communication and follow-up with new owners. There is no guarantee that people will continue to look after the kittens they adopt.