A Limpopo community initiative supporting 68 vulnerable children has expanded into agriculture, creating 17 permanent jobs while strengthening food security and sustainable livelihoods in Maphosa village.
The Maphosa Drop-in Centre in Botlokwa was established by Johanna Mailula in 2016 after she became concerned about children spending their afternoons in the streets without adult supervision.
Nearly a decade later, the centre provides psychosocial support, homework assistance, educational enrichment, life skills development and nutritious meals to vulnerable children.
“My greatest concern was seeing children playing in the streets after school, with no one looking after them. I knew I had to do something to create a safe place where they could be cared for and supported,” Mailula said.
The organisation has since expanded its focus beyond childcare, recognising that unemployment and food insecurity within households can directly affect the wellbeing of children.
Agricultural production has become one of its key interventions, creating 17 permanent jobs as well as seasonal employment and volunteer opportunities.
The project produces vegetables for customers across Limpopo and has been allocated five hectares of land by the Traditional Council to support further expansion.
“I am proud of how far we have come since 2016. People from different districts travel to buy our vegetables because they trust the quality of our produce,” Mailula said.
A significant boost came in 2026 when the National Development Agency facilitated a partnership between the centre and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The partnership provided R1.3 million towards the Green Harvest Project, allowing the organisation to strengthen its agricultural infrastructure and increase its potential to generate sustainable income.
The investment has supported irrigation infrastructure, boreholes, water storage facilities, fencing and shade-net structures, together with seedling production and crop cultivation.
Training and mentorship are also being provided to improve agricultural production, employment creation and access to markets.
The development builds on support the centre has received from the Department of Social Development, National Lotteries Commission and the local municipality.
It also works with Gift of the Givers to provide assistance to vulnerable households experiencing food insecurity.
Mailula believes expanding the agricultural operation could create additional economic opportunities for the community while making the organisation less dependent on external support.
“Our dream is to export our produce beyond South Africa. The additional land gives us the opportunity to increase production and build a sustainable agricultural enterprise that benefits the entire community,” she said.
The model connects child protection with employment and food security, allowing an initiative originally established as a safe space for children to address some of the wider economic pressures affecting their families.
For the Maphosa Drop-in Centre, the next phase will focus on increasing agricultural production, strengthening access to markets and creating more sustainable livelihood opportunities for the surrounding community.
