Bold Move in Africa: Launching a Groundbreaking Aquaponics Centre – Johannesburg, South Africa – In a landmark event this Sunday, March 24, 2024, Rotary International President Gordon McInally will unveil a cutting-edge Aquaponics Training Centre in Johannesburg, marking a key milestone in his visionary Tour of Hope.
This initiative sweeps across six African nations, bringing sustainable solutions to the forefront of community development and food security. At the heart of Randburg, the newly inaugurated State-of-the-Art Aquaponics Centre at Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk in Ferndale is set to be a beacon of hope and
innovation. This project, a collaboration between Rotary International and FreshMinistries Desmond Tutu Program to End Global Hunger, is poised to empower communities not just in South Africa, but in Eswatini, Lesotho, and Madagascar with sustainable food sources and economic growth.
Leveraging the FreshMinistries Desmond Tutu Program to End Global Hunger’s years of expertise in aquaponics from the Americas to Haiti and a pioneering
installation in Hoedspruit, Mpumalanga, this initiative is more than a project; it is a lifeline. It has transformed lives, fought malnutrition, and fostered community
economic development and literacy—core pillars of Rotary’s mission.
“Food Security is not just a right but a foundation for a hopeful, thriving society,” Rotary International President McInally remarked, aligning the project’s launch with South Africa’s Human Rights Month to underscore its significance.
This Aquaponics Unit will serve as one of two training centers in Africa. The South Africa unit will train people from Eswatini, Madagascar, Lesotho and South Africa. The second will be in Kenya and train participants from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
In support of FreshMinistries’ ambitious plan to roll out 198 aquaponics units, each costing 3.5 million rand, across eight African countries over the next three to five years, Rotary International is on a mission to revolutionize food security, education, and economic independence across the continent.
“Aquaponics isn’t just farming; it’s a revolution,” says the Rev. Dr. Robert V. Lee III, Chairman & CEO of FreshMinistries. “It promises year-round produce, sustainable incomes, and, particularly, a step towards financial independence for women. This initiative isn’t just a launch; it promises Africa a sustainable, secure, and hopeful future.”
About Rotary International
A century-plus legacy of change-makers, Rotary International is a global network of 1.4 million visionaries driven to make a difference. Through passion, energy, and intellect, Rotary members tackle global challenges, from literacy to peace, water security to health, aiming for a better world for all.
https://www.rotary.org/en
About FreshMinistries
FreshMinistries is a 501(c)3 outreach organization working to eliminate extreme poverty by empowering communities and individuals to realize their full potential. Incorporated in 1989 and launched in 1994, FreshMinistries focuses on sustainable outreach in core-city Jacksonville, Florida, and throughout the world, through programs to teach financial literacy, life skills, job preparation, business incubation and other initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life in impoverished and crime-ridden neighborhoods.
For media inquiries:
Contact: Thabang Chiloane
Phone: 082 902 1824
Email: thabang@tc74.co.za
Or
Sabelo Mashwana
CEO of FreshMinistries (South Africa)
+27 82 372 7804
For more info visit https://freshministries.org/:
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