Issued by: European Union
Kimberley: The European Union Ambassador to South Africa, Mr Erwan Fouere, today handed over R384 000 to three projects in the Northern Cape. The projects form part of the EU's Small Projects Programme which is managed by the Kagiso Trust.
The EU recognises the need to support small community develop- ment projects and has made provision for "small" grants, of up to R150 000, that will provide initial funding for projects in rural and peri-urban areas. The projects funded under this programme typically fall into the priority sectors of rural development, adult basic education, skills training, micro-enterprise and health.
At a ceremony hosted by the Premier of the Northern Province, Mr E M Dipico, Mr Fouere handed cheques over to the Inkuqubela Resource Centre (R84 000), the Gordonia Sentrum Vir Voorskoolse Onderwys (GOVSO) (R150 000) and the Northern Cape Educare Trust (R150 000).
The Inkuqubela Resource Centre is a project initiated by the Pabellelo community in Upington. It was established in 1987 to support students through the organisation of, inter alia, Saturday classes, educational tours, sports events and leadership workshops. Its future plans include further human resource development and the initiation of a community health project.
GOVSO is an organisation formed to facilitate and coordinate the promotion of educare development initiatives. It aims to provide resources to creches, pre-school teachers and other personnel involved in educare in the Upington sub-region. To date, it has identified 30 childminders who are involved in identifying training needs and conducting workshops that are geared towards improving management and teaching methods of teachers involved in the programmes.
The Northern Cape Educare Trust, formed in 1992, provides similar services to the Diamantveld sub-region of the Northern Cape. It focuses on skills training and education for creche personnel and aims to create quality educare systems in the region.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Fouere, said that the projects, all of which seek to provide the human resources necessary to facilitate development in educare and health systems, were an example of the EU's commitment to the reconstruction and development process currently underway in South Africa.
The development needs they address are in line with the key sec- tors identified in the EU/SA Declaration of Intent signed in May 1995. These include education and training; health; rural develop- ment; urban development; economic co-operation, trade and investment promotion, support for small, medium and micro-enterprises; and the promotion of good governance and democratisation.
For further information, please call Christine Thompson (012) 464-319
29 November 1995