Mahlathini Development Foundation
1. Where your expectations for this
project met?
Yes!
•DUCT-AEN provided alot of logistical, back up and
training support
•Timely payment of payroll and invoices
•Coherent support for supervisors to fulfil their roles
•New learning in citizen science
•Integration of the team into CRA learning groups for
village level resource conservation worked very well
•The youth worked hard and used their own initiative
on anumber of occasions
•Working on abroad range of activities; e.g. donga
reclamation, brush packing, spring protection, road
renovation, ensured focus on immediate concerns in
the village and provided for building of respect of
these youth in the village
2. What was your biggest challenge/skills
and what would you have done differently
to overcome it?
Challenges:
•Provision of coherent protection and first aid
training was not possible given the timelines and
budgets
•Overseeing of the team by MDF staff took alot
more time and resources than hoped
•Contextualization of the monitoring:report backs
to the youth so that they could understand what is
interesting and important about this monitoring
•Perhaps river monitoring not the onlyor most
applicable monitoring option, given work was
mainly in erosion control and landscape restoration
•Distances and moving youth around to work areas
was time consuming and logistically complicated
•App was somewhat problematic and difficulties
arose with cell reception
Insert picture
here
3. What suggestions do you have for future
Amanzi Ethu Nobuntu projects?
Suggestions
•Some way to provide continuity within
areas and development of work packages
to deal with immediate and long term
restoration needs
•Away to keep the Survey platform going
•Inclusion of other activities in the work
process, skill development for these
•Integration of work teams into
development and management
structures in the villages
•Linking of these projects to other
research and implementation processes
Insert picture
here
Conclusion
•Generally MDF was very happy with the process, trainings, support and
ability to self direct activities
•The youth have been very grateful for an opportunity to earn an income and
make a positive difference in their villages