Regional & National Issues

REGIONAL INTERVENTIONS

In response to needs in the broader community of the West Coast Swartland region the Trust has nurtured a number of projects which serve the communities of the West Coast region of South Africa.

These are:

• The West Coast Community Foundation. Capacity building and grant making for small community organisations. Also independent now and operating from the local town of Malmesbury.
• GOFA . The Goedgedacht Olive Farmers Association funded by the Dutch Postal code Lottery is involving emerging farmers in the olive industry. At present 64 farmers are growing olives with Goedgedacht support and backup.
• C3 Climate Change Crops. A new project started in 2008 is introducing the concept of climate change to emerging farmers and giving them information and advice on appropriate crops for a region that will become drier and hotter.
• The last two quoted projects are supported by an Equipment Pool housed at Goedgedacht farm and supported by the regional co-op Agri WesKaap .

NATIONAL

South Africa is a fragile new democracy. It needs constant strengthening on every possible level. It needs vigilance. It needs critical debate on issues of national importance.

Goedgedacht’s response has been:

The Goedgedacht Forum for Social Reflection which every second month brings together policy makers, planners and people of differing opinions at Goedgedacht farm to debate and discuss issues of national importance.

Themes of the past years have been around the economy, poverty, education, crime and this year the focus will be on sustainable development and the upcoming elections.

A record of recent debates can be found on the internet at www.goedgedachtforum.co.za

90% x 2030 . Goedgedacht Trust climate change project run from an office in Cape Town sets up 90×2030 clubs for youth targeting affluent schools and striving to conscientise them to climate change and show them how to measure their carbon footprint.

Website is  www. project90x2030.org.za