SCAT is a veteran human rights and social justice, philanthropy (re-granting) organisation. We partner with rural and peri-urban local development agencies.
Today is World Rainforest Day. World Rainforest Day is celebrated to raise awareness and encourage action to protect the world’s rainforests. We need to act against the deforestation of rainforests.
#climatechange
#climateaction
#SustainableEnvironment
On June 16, Youth Activists marched to the Union Building demanding that government address a number of issues including climate change. They believe that the education system is not doing enough to educate them on
#climatechange
Read:
We are mourning the loss of our beloved colleague Mzolisi Nombewu (9 May 1981 to 28 March 2024). Mzolisi was our bookkeeper and a key member of the finance team. He was more than a colleague, he was a friend to all and to those close to him he was a brother. He was one of a kind.
The first RACR online seminar has kicked off. Professor Francois Engelbrecht from WITS presents climate change scenarios and impacts. We will also be hearing from three district municipality representatives on their actions and plans to respond to climate change.
#climatechange
Join the
#WomensClimateStrike
tomorrow from 12 noon to 2pm at Cape Town Parliament.
Wear something pink. You are welcome to bring poetry, writing, or a song to share.
We are excited to host our Rural Action for Climate Resilience (RACR) Regional Workshop in Eastern Cape, East London this week.
The RACR Regional Workshop will bring together 40 participants from EC rural communities to discuss
#ClimateChange
,
#resilience
, and
#adaptation
.
#FoodSecurity
has been a challenge in most parts of SA, particularly in the Northern Cape region.
A new initiative has been launched in the region to address this challenge by using hydroponics chambers in schools.
Article by Keamogetswe Thomas:
We are excited to welcome all participants who are travelling to CPT for the Rural Action for
#ClimateResilience
Learning Festival.
We will be joined by 62 community leaders, faith leaders & youth from rural communities in EC, NC, & WC. Daily updates on our social media pages.
We are excited to announce that the 2023 Dullah Omar School for Paralegalism kicked off last night in Durban. This collaboration between Community Advice Offices of South Africa (CAOSA), Black Sash and SCAT aims to empower and educate paralegals to better serve their communities
Today is the third day of the four-day RACR Eastern Cape Regional workshop.
Today we look at intersectionality, how
#ClimateChange
affects different genders, & sharing strategies for engaging with local government on climate change-related issues.
#climateresilience
#ruralvoices
International Women's Day 2022 - 8th March - will be a women's day of climate action. See the link below for more details, and to add your action to the map! No action is too small! All are welcome to take part, in whatever way makes most sense for them.
Local economic development is challenging. Herschel Legal Advice Centre reported that
#beekeeping
initiatives in Qhoboshane and Sunduza Village experienced theft, vandalism and fire. In response, some
#beekeepers
moved their hives to their backyards
#challenges
#ruraldevelopment
Bringing fun & humor in workshops makes learning fun! Games, songs, & role-play break the ice, making learning engaging and memorable. At RACR, we bring the fun to boost engagement and empower participants to become more knowledgeable about
#ClimateChange
&
#ClimateAdaptation
.
#COP27
needs to be the turning point in international
#ClimateAction
, moving away from promises and pledges to actual implementation. Africa emits only about 3% of global CO2 emissions, yet African nations are among those most exposed to the effects of
#ClimateChange
.
Herschel Legal Advice Centre shared updates of the Sunduza
#beekeeping
site. The project moved to their new site, installed fencing, built storage and were busy working on site preparation before installing new bee boxes.
#scatgrantee
#easterncape
#communitydevelopment
Local fishers at Vanderkloof Dam are struggling due to
#ClimateChange
. Heavy rainfall causes an overflow, affecting their livelihoods & access to food, hindering their income &
#FoodSecurity
, as shared by Jordan Volmink from Masifundise Development Trust:
Introducing Siphamandla Mqomboti - Youth Journalist for our Rural Action for Climate Resilience project who recently joined our team.
Siphamandla loves working with people and is passionate about
#ruralcommunitydevelopment
.
Welcome to the team!🙂
#climatechange
#ruralaction
In commemoration of
#WomensMonth
, we celebrate women as caregivers, stewards of change, & leaders in the fight against
#ClimateChange
. They nurture sustainable practices at home, ensuring that we use our resources wisely & cause less harm to the environment.
#ClimateChampions
Those who have knowledge about
#climateChange
can influence
#ClimateAction
in rural areas by simply sharing what they know, explaining climate change & climate issues in simple terms & also suggesting simple, cost effective ways to fight
#climateChange
.
#ruralaction
For
#mandeladay
the Tsantsabane Centre of Hope in Postmasburg is feeding people and handing out seeds to encourage households to grow their own
#foodgarden
#feedthehungry
Thank you to all the participants who joined us at the Regional workshop in East London, Eastern Cape from 23-26 May 2023.
We look forward to seeing more of the work you do in your communities to combat
#climatechange
& build
#climateresilience
#ruralvoices
#climateaction
Berlin Legal Advice Centre received a Climate Champions Core Grant from our Rural Action on Climate Resilience project. The grant supports an Alien Vegetation Clearance and Vegetable Garden project in Berlin, Eastern Cape.
#ruraldevelopment
#climateadaptation
#scatgrantee
@boellza
held a training for the RACR Youth Citizen Journalists on 11-12 May 2023 to help them identify different interview styles & polish their writing skills.
The training was facilitated by Thabo Molelekwa & Stephan Lombard from the Global Strategic Communications Council.
Today we feature another recipient of a
#microgrant
from the Rural Action for Climate Resilience Project, CARE Alicedale.
The small grant was used to bring awareness to the community about climate change through a workshop.
#ruraldevelopment
#climateadaptation
#scatgrantee
One of our
#microgrant
recipients on the Rural Action for Climate Resilience Project is Zanoncedo Empowerment Centre.
The
#microgrant
was used to gather communities to educate them about
#Climatechange
, its environmental impacts, & solutions to mitigate droughts & water scarcity.
Yesterday Programme Officer, Kholofelo Kate Mabye, took staff of the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa on a field visit to two CBOs in Limpopo. The CBOs engage in sustainable
#foodgarden
practices such as
#mulching
. They grow spinach, pumpkin, onions, herbs and beetroot.
We kicked off the Limpopo CBO Learnerships this week with 20 young people from the Mogalakwena mining community. They are matriculants who successfully applied for this opportunity to learn business skills and do a
#workexperience
in
#communitybasedorganisations
#Limpopo
Join the
@CJCoalition
for a public lecture series: Planting the Seeds of Justice
They will discuss how economic & climate justice are interconnected. Both point to the need to transform & overthrow our rapacious economic system.
Register:
#ClimateJustice
United for Climate Resilience: Small communities joining forces unlock the power to withstand global challenges. From sharing knowledge to innovative collaboration, unity drives us to protect our planet.
United, we don't just face
#ClimateChange
– we conquer it✊.
#ClimateAction
Empowering rural communities to combat
#ClimateChange
-Collaborating with CBOs is key to understanding local challenges & mobilising action. The RACR project partners with CBOs for awareness, support, capacity building & policy advocacy to build a sustainable future.
#RuralVoices
#ClimateChange
affects food production, especially in rural areas. The RACR project supports CBOs with grants for climate response projects. Many have started food gardens to tackle food insecurity. They've also gained skills in water conservation, composting, & waste reduction.
#Wellness
can be achieved anywhere by anyone.
#Wellness
is not a luxury but a practice that should be accessible to all. During
#WomenInLeadershipPhase3
the
#WomenLeaders
learned about how gardening and being mindful of their environment can positively impact their wellbeing 🌾👩🏾🌾
Our Climate Policy Coordinator attended a Strategic Dialogue hosted by the
@CJCharterSA
on the high cost of living &
#ClimateCrisis
.The dialogue also highlighted ways to become an effective
#ClimateJustice
Activist.
Climate Justice Charter:
We're right in the middle of the annual Dullah Omar School (
#DOS2019
), taking place in Cape Town this year.
@ScatRural
,
@black_sash
&
@CAOSA12
are the organizers of this years' School.
SCAT is pleased to participate in the second Presidential Summit on GBV. It is critical that Government and Civil Society find solutions to this pandemic. The voices of rural people must be heard.
#presidentialgbvsummit
#endgbv
#collaborate
Rural communities worldwide face
#climate
challenges due to their reliance on agriculture & natural resources. The RACR project hosts an annual learning festival where participants unite to address climate issues and explore solutions through education, discussions, & activities.
Today we look back to the amazing
#RuralAction
for
#ClimateResilience
learning festival which took place in CPT from 18–21 Oct
Participants brought positive energy & made the learning festival both eye opening & fun.
We look forward to more engagements like this.
A rare snowstorm blanketed parts of South Africa on 22 September, shutting down highways in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Free State reminding us of the unpredictable nature of our climate.
This event could be linked to the broader impacts of
#climatechange
John Nzira, Director of Ukuvuna Urban Farms, is a renowned permaculturist with a passion for agroecology & farming. He supports farmers, small organizations, & individuals in achieving sustainable livelihoods through agricultural practices.
#Agroeceology
#climateresilience
Women take care of children, provide food, do gardening, & collect firewood & water. These household chores are impacted by
#climatechange
.
RACR produced a booklet titled “You Strike A Woman, You Strike The Earth!”
📸:Vulamehlo Vegetable Gardening committee
Last month Gae Youth Walk In Centre celebrated their completion of the Limpopo Community Based Organisations
#capacitybuilding
programme. Well done to the staff, volunteers and committee members for their commitment to
#learning
and growing.
#limpopo
#cbo
Photo: Ruan Vorster
Tlhabologang Community Based Care and Support Services hosted a
#climatechange
workshop with youth in their community. They focused on planting, recycling and a healthy environment. They encouraged the youth to assist with community cleanups, to recycle where possible.
Our celebration, marking the handover of the CDRA House to SCAT was attended by our rural partners, donors, former staff and friends. It was full of song, history and appreciation. Thank you to the CDRA trustees and former staff for this gift. Long live the spirit of the CDRA!
The gardens are supported with Jojo tanks for saving rainwater, gardening tools, seedlings, green shade cloth structure to house a nursery, fencing, and stipends for volunteers who assist with the maintenance of the gardens.
#ruraldevelopment
#communitydevelopment
#scatgrantee
Yesterday was Day 2 of the
#RACRLearningFestival
. We had sessions on how to engage local government on climate change related issues, waste management, presentations from Micro grant recipients & a panel discussion on youth mobilisation on
#ClimateChange
.
#climatejustice
A week ago, 2 members of the RACR team visited Merweville Advice & Development Office with Permaculturist Mr John Nzira.
The trip was taken to provide onsite support for the new office garden.
The office is planning to establish Ferro cement tanks in the coming weeks
#scatgrantee
Yesterday we visited Philippi Horticultural Area to learn about compost making & alternative ways of getting rid of insects on crops without using pesticides. This session linked to
#FoodSovereignty
& highlighted the importance of
#Agroecology
.
#HungerSouthAfrica
@CJCharterSA
We support the Equal Education
#march
happening tomorrow, 10 May. The march will be a to a fiesta of learning about education justice in SA, of creativity and solidarity in action with
#youngpeople
committed to building their power beyond the ballot.
#educationjustice
The grant to Thuso is also used to provide gardening tools, seedlings, & trees to increase the production of healthy vegetables in the community & equip the community and local schools with gardening skills.
Congratulations!
#ruraldevelopment
#communitydevelopment
#scatgrantee
As the Social Change Assistance Trust, we extend our solidarity and partnership with the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Response Fund and commend it's unwavering efforts to provide resources and support for survivors of GBVF at grassroots levels.
#PreventGBVF
!
#RESPECT
'Building Resilient Infrastructure Amidst Climate Change Challenges': Our Youth Citizen Journalist Keamogetswe Thomas highlights the urgent need for climate-resilient infrastructure post-floods in Namakwa District. Read the article here:
#ClimateAction
International Day for the Preservation of the
#Ozone
Layer raises awareness about the depletion of the ozone layer & to encourage us to reduce our carbon footprint & plant more trees to counter the greenhouse effect.
#ClimateChange
#ClimateAction
#ClimateResilience
Northern Cape Agricultural School is using drones to revolutionize agriculture & combat
#ClimateChange
. Drones offer a bird's-eye view, enabling farmers to monitor crops, detect stress, & optimize irrigation.
Full article by Keamogetswe Thomas here:
The Rural Action for Climate Resilience Project has awarded Climate Champions Core Grants to 8 CBOs for the development & implementation of community-led
#ClimateResilience
strategies. Congratulations to the
#CoreGrant
recipients, we look forward to seeing your work.
#scatgrantee
The passing of the bill has been delayed and is still sitting with Parliament, with hearings & the review process ongoing.
This World Environment Day, we urge you to take care of the environment and protect our natural resources for future generations.
#ruralvoices
Monica Tyalimpi from Dordrect Legal Advice and Development Agency shares the story of a recent fire that came close to their offices and how they had to use scarce water resources to fight the fire.
#faithforearth
#ruralvoices
@boellza
@SAFCEI
@EUinSA
A recent report reveals that only 5% of South Africans rank climate change as a top concern. Unemployment and safety issues take precedence but
#climatechange
can worsen job losses.
Read the report here:
Article:
#RACR