The Iminathi Training Centre - February 2020
The Reynolds family from Olivar Farm between Ixopo and Umzimkhulu are on a mission to improve the lives of those around them through education and skills transfer. In June 2016, after undertaking the required training, Sarah Reynolds began teaching English to their staff and their families through the Gateway into Reading programme. Sixteen adults took part in the training and have since been enjoying a library of donated books on the farm. In 2018 the Reynolds then began the process of converting their old dairy buildings into a training facility and in December that year ran their first training course through Singakwenza. This drew in 22 teachers and parents from the surrounding areas to learn how to convert unwanted waste in to educational toys to improve pre-school children’s motor skill development.
The Reynolds then used this facility to open a pre-school for local children in April 2019 whilst continuing to provide a base from which to offer adult skills development. With the help of our partner Standard Bank, HGA was able to support the centre by making a financial contribution towards the construction of a classroom for the pre-school children.
The Reynolds family have also extended support to the Esayidi TVET College through their involvement in our in-service training programme whereby they have provided two students with the opportunity to obtain practical experience on their farm as well as accommodating a further two students obtaining their training at the Carisbrooke Valley Citrus packhouse next door. Beyond that, they have provided opportunity to the college’s primary agriculture students who received two weeks of experiential learning on the farm in mid-2019. On account of the success of this, we are working alongside the Reynolds and the college staff to see how we might formalise this opportunity and offer it on a more regular basis. As many students use the National Certificate in Primary Agriculture as a stepping stone for their National Diplomas in Farm Management, this presents a great opportunity to identify passionate and talented young farmers for future involvement in our in-service training programme.