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Mary’s story: A household transformed by water and hope with support of ForAfrika and the Embassy of Switzerland in South Africa

Mary receiving a certificate after completing agro-ecology training with ForAfrika

For years, the community of Suurman in Hammanskraal lived under the weight of a crippling water crisis. Municipal water trucks would arrive periodically, but the water came at a cost which many families could not afford.

Even when they managed to buy some, people were sceptical about its cleanliness and safety. The cholera outbreak in 2023 intensified this fear. Parents worried each time their children drank the water. Illnesses increased, gardens failed, and families lost hope.

Mary, a 40-year-old resident and caregiver to ten dependents, remembers those days vividly. Five children, two grandchildren, and three orphaned children relied on her, and she could not guarantee clean water for them.

”

“We used to struggle to get access to clean water. Sometimes we had to travel long distances or wait for paid water dispatched by the municipality. But now life is easier. From cooking to cleaning and toilet use, everything is more manageable. Drinking water is now easier to access. Thanks to ForAfrika.”

- Mary

In 2024, life changed for Mary and her community when ForAfrika rehabilitated a borehole in Suurman, one of fifteen restored after the cholera outbreak. Residents had something they had long hoped for: reliable, clean water every single day. For Mary’s household and many others, this meant improved hygiene, restored dignity, and more time to focus on rebuilding their lives.

The community vegetable garden in Suurman, sponsored by the Swiss Embassy, during a joint visit of Swiss Embassy representative and ForAfrika team.

But water was only the beginning.

With support from the Swiss Embassy, ForAfrika went on to establish a thriving community garden in Suurman. Land that had once been dusty and barren soon burst into rows of seedlings. In September, community members, ForAfrika staff, and a representative from the Swiss Embassy gathered for a handover ceremony.

Team visit and group photo with ForAfrika team members and representative of Swiss Embassy

Mary was one of twenty residents trained in agroecology and sustainable gardening, fourteen of whom were youth. When she received her certificate at the ceremony, she smiled with a sense of achievement she had never felt before.

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“I never imagined I would be able to grow food like this. Now I can feed my children and dependents. It is not just a garden. It is our security and our pride.”

- Mary

The garden has done more than feed her family. With surplus vegetables from each harvest, Mary has begun selling small bundles to neighbours and community members. The income she earns helps her buy school supplies, bread, and household essentials. She no longer feels trapped by financial pressure. Instead, she feels empowered.

The borehole restored life. The garden restored dignity. And for Mary, hope continues to grow every day.

The community borehole rehabilitated that is now providing access to clean water to the whole community of Suurman.

The two water tanks with solar panels that is providing water storage for the irrigation of the community garden.

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© 2025 | For Afrika to Thrive (Registration Number: 2010/025117/10) is a multi-national public charity with a global reach. We have affiliate offices in:
• South Africa (ForAfrika South Africa NPC, Registration Number: 1983/011022/08, NPO Number: 052-455-NPO, PBO Number: 130000144)
• United Kingdom (ForAfrika UK, England and Wales Registered Charity Number: 1050992, Scotland: SC043643)
• USA (ForAfrika USA, EIN: 38-2726350)
• Canada (Canada ForAfrika, Charity Number: 865982573 RR 0001)
• Germany (ForAfrika Deutschland e.V., Tax Number: 99019/38930)
• Switzerland (Stiftung Schweiz ForAfrika, Registration Number: CHE-114.509.322)
• Australia (ForAfrika Ltd, Registration Number: 651 493 980)
• Norway (ForAfrika Norge, Registration Number: 828 055 232)

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