The Deciduous Fruit Development Trust (DFIDT) recently allocated almost R500 000 to training and empowerment programmes in the fruit industry.
Agri Train received R50 000 for its programme Window to the Future, to fast-track the career of one rural child in the agricultural industry. Another source contributed a further R40 000. Procare received 450 to train support-care workers. These workers will empower over 125 families involved in agriculture in the Montagu region through developing their skills of communication, conflict resolution, assertiveness and problem solving. The programme also aims to minimise the impact on employees’ productivity of psychosocial problems such as drug abuse, poor interpersonal relationships and abuse of women and children.
The Cape Women’s Forum received R160 000 for learnerships for Langkloof healthworkers, on top of contributions from participating farmers in the region totalling R65 000. These learnerships will be presented over 12 months and include theory and practical training.
Programmes offered by the forum range from business skills development to life skills development and audits and training programmes for Fair Trade Assistance from the Netherlands. he Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum received R200 000 to train 20 farmworkers and women in its Top of the Class programme, which links to an industry-wide programme that has already received donations of R1,169 million in this financial year. D ora Ndaba, chairperson of the DFIDT, said at the handing over of funds at Bellville in the Western Cape that development and upliftment would not be achieved in one day, but every day could be an opportunity to commit ourselves to make a difference.
Applications for funds for 2008 must be submitted by the end of October this year. – Glenneis Erasmus Visit www.dfpt.co.za or e-mail Retha Louw, manager of General Services and Communications, at retha@[email protected].
