Mduduzi Nkala described how the project gave
him and others hope and practical skills.
“Before the intervention, many of us living with
disabilities had limited livelihood options,” he
said. “SWRGN and Inkanyezi taught us farming,
teamwork, and financial planning. For the first
time, we saw real results from our efforts.”
He highlighted market access and transport as
major challenges that remain unresolved.
Despite these obstacles, Mduduzi and others
are eager to build on the foundation laid by the
project.
“We wish the programme could continue,” he
said. “In the future, we hope for skills training in
carpentry and welding so people with disabili
ties can diversify their income.”
Former Ward 8 councillor Alice Dube noted the
project’s powerful effect on women’s empower
ment, an impact she hopes will not fade.
“Women now have confidence to earn their own
money through ISALS,” she said. “They speak
openly in community meetings and work side by
side with men in the gardens. This project
empowered women in ways we had never seen
before.”

Alice emphasised that the momentum created
by the intervention must not be lost.
“The project may have been short-lived, but its
impact was huge,” she said. “We want it to
continue so that women and the whole commu
nity can keep growing.”
As the organisations exit Ward 8, the community
is filled with both gratitude and concern. They
appreciate the skills and confidence gained, but
fear that without continued support, some gains
may be difficult to sustain.
“This project restored our dignity and gave us
hope,” Brenda said. “We are asking for it to
continue because we still have so much to learn
and build.”
Despite the ending of the interventions, the
people of Nshale Ward 8 remain determined to
carry the lessons forward, but they are also
united in their call for renewed and sustained
support