Water to Wealth: A family’s garden turned into income stream

Once facing hardships due to poverty, the Dlamini family’s lives took a positive turn when access to water became available in their community. With this newfound resource, the family embarked on a journey to create a garden at their home, a dream previously deemed unattainable.

The Dlamini household is one of the families that benefitted from the Mpolonjeni Water Project, which provides safe water to 10 communities with 3,320 households.

Previously, their yard lay barren, but now it bursts with vitality. Sibongile Dlamini diligently tends to the garden, nurturing onions, spinach, cabbages, lettuce, beetroot, mango trees, orange trees, avocados trees, litchis, guavas, and bananas. This garden not only provides them with food but also instills a sense of strength and optimism.

Each harvest brings gratitude to the Dlamini family, consisting of seven members. With fresh produce on their table, worries about hunger fade away. No longer bound by the constraints of poverty, the Dlamini family now enjoys the fruits of their labour, literally.  

Sibongile emphasises that the garden also serves as her source of income.

“Each harvest I gather is not just of produce, but of potential income. My garden has blossomed into a thriving business venture because I sell my fresh fruits and vegetables at the local market,” she says.

She does, however, voice out concerns about the water charges, saying the financial burden can be quite high for some of them, especially when trying to grow crops to survive.

Access to clean water in this household has also revolutionized sanitation and hygiene practises. With a reliable water source that runs 24/7, this family now has toilets that flush, ensuring proper waste disposal and contributing to better health outcomes.

As the sun sets over the Lubombo horizon, the Dlamini family gathers for dinner, thankful for the water that transformed their lives. Their garden stands as a beacon of hope for their community, illustrating the possibilities that arise with access to water and dedicated effort.