SURUDEC Projects

SURUDEC supports activities which mobilise and sustainably grow the asset base of communities, be they social, economic and environmental assets. In development, communities tend to be encouraged to focus on their needs and problems and often ignore the assets and resources that they already have.
SURUDEC seeks to enable communities to design and implement their own integrated community development plans (ICDPs) and support initiatives which build on existing assets and resources. The programme also aims to strengthen social networks so that communities can independently access resources.
Through its two grant mechanisms, SURUDEC plans to positively impact on social development in the Eastern Cape. The Building Communities Fund and the Fast Track Delivery Fund are the two grant mechanisms to Legal Entity Partners (LEPs) who are working with beneficiary communities on the ground. There are nine (9) Call 1 projects and ten (10) Call 2 projects spread across the province with at least one project in each district.

Call 1: Building Communities Fund
The first call applied to communities with initiative and vision but who did not yet have a plan in place and were not formally organised. The aim of the grant under the first call is to assist communities in planning an intervention (or series of interventions) which can build social networks and strengthen social capital.

Call 2: Fast Track Delivery Fund
The second call applied to communities that have plans, projects and some partnerships in place, and who are ready to implement their development plans. The main intention behind the Fast Track Delivery Fund (FTDF) is to facilitate the transformation of existing community plans into more integrated development plans and implement aspects of these plans so as to bring community assets into productive use. This grant applied to communities ready to implement their ICDPs and those who have a strategy, projects and partnerships in place.

CALL 1 PROJECTS – Building Communities Fund

1. Mqanduli Area Based Development Programme
LEP: Lima Rural Development Foundation   
Location: Eight wards in the Maqanduli area, King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality in the OR Tambo District
This project is aimed at assisting eight (8) pilot villages to participate in developing ICDPs in line with municipal integrated development planning (IDPs) processes. 

2. Baviaans Land Reform and Agrarian Reform Forum
LEP: Southern Cape Land Committee (Baviaans) – SCLC
Location: Situated near Jansenville in Cacadu District
The main activities of the project include planning, monitoring and evaluation and research into markets, the history of problems faced by workers and land disputes as well as networking activities and the building or crucial partnerships. 

3. Mobilising Farm Workers and Dwellers
LEP: Eastern Cape Agricultural Research Project (Fort Brown)
Location: Concentrating on farm worker communities near Fort Brown in the Makana and in the Ndlambe and Sunday’s River areas
The project aims to improve the overall quality of life of beneficiaries by strengthening organised democratic structures and supporting these structures in developing dedicated ICDPs. 

4. Zingisa Education Project
(LEP): Ilizwi Lamafama Learning Farmers’ Union
Location: Buffalo City Municipality, Amathole District Municipality
The project objective is to reduce poverty in the Amathole District by engaging in alternative economic practices and by promoting community participation in decision-making processes. Critical to its success is the building of social capital and providing the community with alternative livelihood strategies.

5. Thornhill Community Development Initiative
LEP: Mila Development and Learning Strategies
Location: Thornhill settlement, Kouga Municipality, Cacadu District Municipality
The project objectives are to build Thornhill into an organised and active community where all residents have access to education, skills and employment for an improved social and family life. Importantly, the creation of a detailed socio-economic profile together with the compiling of an assets and skills inventory will be crucial to the success of the project. There will be a focus on community projects to ensure vulnerable families gain access to resources and support through social workers. Support groups and recreational clubs will be used to build the community’s social capital and government funding for ongoing projects will be secured.

6. Sunday’s River Valley Community Development Initiative
LEP: Khanyisa Educational and Development Trust
Location: Sunday’s Valley Municipality, Cacadu District Municipality
The overall project objective is to contribute towards the improvement of the livelihoods of local rural communities in the Sundays River Valley municipal area through agricultural development. Specific objectives include the formation, strengthening and building of skills of the Community Development Forum that will co-ordinate the process of developing the community ICDP and the initiation of economically viable income generating activities.

7. Keiskammahoek Capacity for Development
LEP: Border Rural Committee
Location: Northern Keiskammahoek region, Amathole District Municipality
The project objective is for the Keiskammahoek community to participate in the formulation of an ICDP and duly adopt a plan that has the potential to spark sustained LED initiatives. Project activities will include community capacity building, mobilisation, community facilitation and the finalisation of an integrated development plan.

8. Building social capital, cohesion and sustainable community livelihoods in Lesseyton
LEP: Mbumba Development Services, Rural Support Services
Location: Lesseyton, Lukhanji Local Municipality, Chris Hani District Municipality
Project activities include the establishment and formalisation of an ICDP Steering Committee and the development and initiation of ICDPs. The project will also focus on community training following a needs analysis to build social capital and the formation of social networks. There will also be a strong emphasis on formalising community-based structures and project management.

9. Strengthening and building governance structures for maximum utilisation of community assets for sustainable development
LEP: Masifunde Education and Development Project
Location: 12 villages in the targeted municipalities of Ngqushwa, Makana and Ndlambe in Cacadu District Municipality
The mobilisation of communities and sectors to participate in the development of three ICDPs in 12 villages by 2011 and to strengthen and establish governance structures that promote sustainable agriculture and livelihoods initiatives for food security are the main objectives of the this project. There will be a focus on training and establishing ICDP forums as well as project management and monitoring teams. A skills audit will be conducted and a process of mentoring and supporting small-scale farmers and agricultural cooperatives will be facilitated, with an emphasis on networking.

Call 2 projects - Fast Track Delivery Fund

1. Klipplaat Hydroponic Village
LEP: Klipplaat Development Forum
Location: Ikwezi Municipality, Cacadu District Municipality
The community aims to establish and strengthen a hydroponics tunnel village to contribute towards the improvement of the livelihoods of the Klipplaat community of 30 households. Project priorities include the purchasing of tunnels, identifying and training beneficiaries, meetings with stakeholders and municipalities on potential markets, the renovation of existing buildings for the local vegetable market and the identification of service providers. Other activities include building management and accounting capacity of households.

2. Facilitating the acquisition of resources that maximise the capacity of small-scale farmers to implement their agricultural business plans productively and sustainably
LEP: East Cape Research Project
Location: Makana, Ndlambe and Sunday River Municipalities, Cacadu District Municipality
This project aims to improve the food security and livelihoods of small-scale farmers.  Expected results include: the development of project management systems, enhancing the skills of small-scale farmers in use and management of animal traction equipment, the establishment of committees to set up and monitor the use and management of ploughing implements, increased awareness of farmers on water rights and water management systems, research conducted on the most sustainable means of obtaining water, and the development of appropriate irrigation systems.

3. Tsilitwa Integrated Community Development Action for Sustainability
LEP: Transkei Land Service Organisation (TRALSO)
Location: Tsilitwa Village, Mhlontlo Local Municipality, O R Tambo District Municipality
The specific project objectives are to promote sustainable livelihood opportunities in agriculture, eco-tourism and small businesses, and to revitalise the Tsilitwa Development Centre (TDC) and other established community assets. Expected outcomes include: the remobilisation and reorganisation of relevant community institutions, the re-establishment and revitalisation of TDC management and financial systems, the establishment of a framework for a sustainable ICDP, the stimulation of LED in agriculture, small business and tourism through improved agricultural practices, to support small business entrepreneurs and the initiation of village-based cultural tourism. Importantly here, facilitating and brokering government services and interventions including social grants, health facilities, access to information and early childhood development will be crucial.

4. Cata Forest Ecotourism Development Initiative
LEP: Birdlife South Africa
Location: Cata, Keiskammahoek area, Amatole District Municipality
Specific objectives include the development of skills, social capital and tools to enable members of the Cata community to contribute towards an ICDP by means of an eco tourism income-generating product using a well-established community natural asset. The main activities of the project include the development of an eco-tourism product such as birding hiking trails (the community already has chalets for accommodation), marketing of the eco-tourism product, and skills development of local beneficiaries together with building partnerships with local and provincial stakeholders.

5. Sisonke Agricultural Support Centre and Cooperative
LEP: Umnga Farmers Training Group
Location: Intsika Yethu Municipality, Chris Hani District Municipality
The overall objective is to strengthen the social capital and networking required by the Sisonke Agricultural Support Centre Cooperative to establish itself as a support centre for emerging communities associated with the Block C Ncora Irrigation Scheme.

6. Integrated Village Renewal Programme (IVRP)
LEP: Is’Baya Development Trust
Location: 52 villages in the OR Tambo and 49 in the Amatole Districts
The objective of the project is to facilitate the integration of rural villages into the national economy and to achieve long-term developmental goals for the benefit of the villages. Specific objectives include the formation of functional and democratic Community Development Associations (CDAs) in each participating village and the development of long-term sustainable (conservation based) agricultural production plans for food security as well as commercial production. Priorities also include the development and implementation of a long-term support system and the lobbying of national and provincial government to adopt this IVRP as a holistic and integrated rural development programme.

7. Baziya Sustainable Action
LEP: Ntinga O R Tambo Development Agency
Location: Baziya Administrative Area in King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in O R Tambo District Municipality
The main objective of the project is to improve the livelihoods of the community through better use of existing assets and to engage on social aspects that will lead to job creation through poverty eradication programmes. The priority is to transform existing community partnerships and social networks into viable income generating activities such as agricultural cooperatives, production groups and tourism-focused activities.

8. Nqabara Integrated Development Initiative
LEP: Nqabara Developments CC
Location: 11 villages situated at Nqabara in Mbashe Municipality, Amatole District Municipality
The overall goal of the Nqabara Integrated Development Initiative (NIDI) is to improve the quality of life and livelihoods for residents of 11 villages through strategic and responsible use of assets and development networks. Specific objectives include the initiation of four successful programmes designed to build social capital and implement the Nqabara Local Development Plan, drafted in 2007/08. The aim is to have advocacy and partnership building, development of an information centre, a culture and care programme, leadership development and a series of economic livelihood interventions.

9. Delindlala Farmers’ Support Co-operative (DFC)
LEP: Farm Vision (Pty) Ltd
Location: Community-owned farm outside the town of Indwe, Emalahleni Municipality, Chris Hani District Municipality
The overall objective is sustainable and viable agriculture aimed at contributing to a better life for the people of the Denlindlala Farmers’ Co-operative of 200 members.  The specific objectives include the implementation of an ICDP of the cooperative (dairy, Lucerne, sheep, beef, vegetables, broilers and entrepreneurship) and building social capital to allow the community to effectively mobilise their assets.

10. Northern Keiskammahoek Implementation
LEP: Border Rural Committee
Location: Keiskammhoek villages, Amathole District Municipality
Specific objectives are to have at least five projects in the key economic sectors (agriculture, forestry and tourism) that have been sponsored by the project and successfully implemented by the end of 2010. The target group includes the village-level development committees and business organisations set out in the Keiskammahoek ICDP, affecting approximately 850 households living in the three villages comprising 4 000 people. The expected outcomes are to secure the resources for their ICDP and all the associated activities and to ensure that the development committees are effectively managed with the five small enterprises being appropriately constituted and established to implement planned businesses.