Hlumelelisa 1438 views

Hlumelelisa was established in 2003 as a NPO with Section 18a status. We train sentenced offenders, parolees and people at risk in practical and theoretical horticultural skills. From a practical perspective, horticulture has been identified by the Department of Labour (DOL) as a scarce skill in the South African labour market, i.e. there are job opportunities for people with horticultural skills. In addition to employment in the formal sector, there are also many possibilities for a person with horticultural skills to start a variety of small-scale businesses such as growing seedlings for local sale or for supply to urban development projects. Other potential business opportunities are associated with becoming a training provider, maintenance of indigenous flora for National and City Parks and establishment or support for the large landscaping/gardening industry that exists in South Africa.

Sentenced offenders are given access to a nine month training programme that leads to a recognized qualification. The offenders use these skills to become productive citizens outside the prison system, and to secure employment in the formal sector, or to engage successfully in small-scale entrepreneurial activities.

The programme is designed so that as learners work with nature, they also learn important life skills such as nurturing, patience, commitment and perseverance. By taking responsibility for living plants, they learn about taking responsibility for themselves, their environment and their futures. The programme focuses on assisting offenders to regain their humanity, self respect and develop a sense of hope.

Our Vision

Equip sentenced offenders and people at risk with practical skills so that they can take care of themselves, make a positive contribution to their community and help to create a greener, more beautiful South Africa for many years to come.

Our Objectives

The four main themes of Hlumelelisa’s vision are:

1. Education
2. Rehabilitation
3. Environment
4. Sustainability

Programme Details

• Students are selected with the assistance of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) staff.
• Courses are approximately 9 months in duration
• The courses are in a modular format and are both theoretical and practical in content. Tests are completed by the students at the end of each module. Hlumelelisa has employed a qualified horticulturist with 37 years experience with City Parks to assist with the practical training and content development.
• Students are awarded AgriSETA accredited certification on completion and passing of the course
• DCS Case Officers, Social Workers and Hlumelelisa work together to monitor the progress of learners during the course, as well as their actions and progress on release.