Salt Spring Organization for Life Improvement and Development AIDS Africa Twinning NGO

Projects:

Gardens of Hope

Evaton West Community
Garden Project

A Day of AIDS

Peace Tiles

Driefontaine
Orphanage

Act!

Gardens of Hope*Molapo School * Pitseng School *Linotsing School *Tsepong Clinic*Ha Makhata Group

Tsepong Phelisanong Bophelong

Goals

The Reality of AIDS at Tsepong Clinic

to extend and enhance the lives of People Living with HIV/AIDS by providing complimentary health training and products
to promote permaculture gardening techniques as a method of increasing food production
provide permaculture and complimentary therapy training to patients at Tsepong Clinic and other PLWHAs in the community

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to engage the surrounding communities and local CBOs by establishing a network that functions as a motivational and educational tool
address the needs of the PLWHA population by providing support, training, referrals and financial assistance
to become self-sustaining through the production of herbs, ornamental plants and garlic

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Jean Margaritis at Tsepong

Tsepong Clinic is an HIV/AIDS Clinic in Leribe, Lesotho. It was named “the place of hope” as it was the first government clinic to provide ARV treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS . Since its began to offer ARVs in 2004, almost 2,500 patients have registered as patients . The project at Tsepong Clinic is supported jointly by the Ontario Hospital Association and The Change Foundation.

SOLID visited the Tsepong Clinic in 2005 with a view to building a permaculture garden for the clinic population; this dream is being realized by the clinic's People Living With AIDS group and the Stephen Lewis Foundation. The garden exists to promote nutrition as a vital component of health and increased immunity.. Good nutrition can help maintain and improve the nutrition status of a persona living with HIV/AIDS and delay the progression from HIV to AIDS-related disease.

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The garden is maintained by Phelisanang Bophelong members, a support group for people living with HIV/AIDS in Leribe district, a group whose membership has grown from 30 to 200 in the last year. Not only does the garden act as a permaculture teaching tool to the patients of Tsepong, but produces medicinal herbs, seeds, and garlic which the HIv/AIDS support group sells to the community as a fundraiser for their on-going activities.

In 2006 SOLID delivered medicinal herb seedlings and seeds to the gardens, and assisted with the publication of a medicinal herb identification and propagation booklet. We are engaged in building a tree nursery at Tsepong and have a long term goal of establishing a greenhouse at the clinic.

The Phelisanong Bophelong support group, through the Gardens of Hope network, are engaged in peer-to-peer education and outreach to assist people affected by HIV/AIDS at SOLID’s other community based projects to form and develop support groups. Through the network of projects, this established organization can encourage and inspire others to be open with their status and act together towards a positive future in the face of the pandemic.

Accomplishments

Establishment of a memorial rose garden for patients at Tsepong that provides a comfortable space for relaxation and reflection while waiting for their appointments
Development of a permaculture/ herb garden that is used for production and teaching – focuses on composting, raised beds, proper water drainage, soil composition and pest management.

Introduction of 23 herbs with shown healing properties to enhance the health competency of patients and encourage patient-motivated health care
Community technical trainings on garlic production, permaculture, herb usages and rose care have been conducted and are underway
Partnership with four local community-based organizations for skill and resource share
Transfer of leadership and supervision to a host-country national
Partnership with SOLID, a Canadian-based community organization
Development of a “Healing Herbs” book in both Sesotho and English for income generation

Natural Resources

Land: There is a small ¼ acre plot of land being used as a demonstration permaculture garden, using various intensive agriculture techniques such as keyhole gardens in order to teach methods of organic farming to the clinic population. This garden also produces herbs and seeds for sale by the PB group and due to its maturity and diversity can act as a seed bank for the other projects in the Gardens of Hope network. There is another 2 hectare slope behind the Tsepong Clinic that is available for planting if the PB group wish to expand.

Municipal water is year-round and a tap in the garden facilitates watering.

Human Resources / Stakeholders

Volunteers: The PB group has 150 members, many of whom volunteer in the garden and attend weekly support group meetings.
US Peace Corps: stationed a volunteer at Tsepong, who is responsible for co-ordinating the PB group
Stephen Lewis Foundation: supported development of Gardens of Hope and Memorial Rose Garden at Tsepong Clinic
OHAfrica: contributed $1000 to PB from the sale of DVDs
SOLID: provided technical training in intensive permaculture gardening techniques; delivered seeds and plants for the clinic garden, intends to deliver a series of training workshops to volunteers and staff. (see Appendix B)

HIV/AIDS Support

The mandate of PB is to mobilize to address AIDS and the resulting stigma through poverty reduction, access to wholistic treatment, community psycho-social support, and food security. To these ends the group is engaged in growing, packaging and selling herbal teas and medicines to AIDS patients who pour into Tsepong daily, along with educating people about the identification and use of medicinal herbs and plants through the publication of a booklet and the example of their demonstration garden.
They have developed a forum for discussing the difficulties they fact in living with AIDS and coming together to support one another and find solutions. Many group members have adopted the techniques taught in the clinic’s garden in their home gardens, such as the growing of garlic and herbs, which improves their families’ self-sufficiency and level of nutrition.