Water crisis threatens to undo Hoachanas’ food security gains
Community laments inaction by local authorities, leaders
A severe water shortage has brought the Hoachanas Children Fund’s (HCF) community garden project to a halt, threatening years of progress in improving food security, child nutrition and livelihoods in the Hardap region.
Residents say water is only available for a few hours in the early morning before taps run completely dry for the rest of the day, leaving families without a reliable supply for cooking, cleaning or watering their gardens. It has been like this for two years, they say.
“The situation has become unbearable. Our backyard gardens are dying, threatening the food security and livelihoods of many families,” said community leader and HCF coordinator Kenneth Rheent.
The project participants are calling on the media and the public to help raise awareness and pressure authorities to act.
“We are pleading for your support to report and air this story, to help us raise awareness and speed up the process of fixing the crisis. The people of Hoachanas deserve water, dignity, and attention before the situation worsens further,” Rheent said.
“The Hoachanas Children Fund, which supports local gardens and feeding programmes, is now under extreme pressure as even its limited water tanks are running empty.”
Rheent, who has led the HCF Backyard Garden Project for the past four years, said the crisis falls under the responsibility of the Hardap Regional Council. Still, no visible action or urgency has been shown to resolve it, he noted. “Our leaders and traditional authorities remain silent, while the community suffers."
No one left behind
The HCF Backyard Garden Project is a community-driven initiative that has transformed lives in Hoachanas by improving nutrition and creating sustainable livelihoods. Over the past four years, the project has ensured that no cases of child malnutrition were recorded in the community.
By establishing over 200 backyard gardens, families have grown their own vegetables, reduced their reliance on food aid and improved household nutrition. The project also supports 18 soup kitchens, which provide daily after-school meals to hundreds of children, using vegetables purchased from local gardeners.
The initiative is built on a system of 18 garden groups, each made up of 8 to 10 members who meet weekly to exchange knowledge, share progress and strengthen community ties. It also provides free seeds, training and development support to residents, helping them succeed in small-scale horticulture.
Success at risk
Training is facilitated by John Kauena, a young horticulture trainer from Hoachanas, who works closely with residents to provide practical agricultural skills. His work has been vital in equipping the community with techniques to grow food even in harsh conditions, a mission now under threat due to the lack of water.
“The water crisis is halting everything we have worked for,” Rheent said. “Our gardens are dying, our feeding programmes are affected and families are losing the means to support themselves.”
Residents say water is only available for a few hours in the early morning before taps run completely dry for the rest of the day, leaving families without a reliable supply for cooking, cleaning or watering their gardens. It has been like this for two years, they say.
“The situation has become unbearable. Our backyard gardens are dying, threatening the food security and livelihoods of many families,” said community leader and HCF coordinator Kenneth Rheent.
The project participants are calling on the media and the public to help raise awareness and pressure authorities to act.
“We are pleading for your support to report and air this story, to help us raise awareness and speed up the process of fixing the crisis. The people of Hoachanas deserve water, dignity, and attention before the situation worsens further,” Rheent said.
“The Hoachanas Children Fund, which supports local gardens and feeding programmes, is now under extreme pressure as even its limited water tanks are running empty.”
Rheent, who has led the HCF Backyard Garden Project for the past four years, said the crisis falls under the responsibility of the Hardap Regional Council. Still, no visible action or urgency has been shown to resolve it, he noted. “Our leaders and traditional authorities remain silent, while the community suffers."
No one left behind
The HCF Backyard Garden Project is a community-driven initiative that has transformed lives in Hoachanas by improving nutrition and creating sustainable livelihoods. Over the past four years, the project has ensured that no cases of child malnutrition were recorded in the community.
By establishing over 200 backyard gardens, families have grown their own vegetables, reduced their reliance on food aid and improved household nutrition. The project also supports 18 soup kitchens, which provide daily after-school meals to hundreds of children, using vegetables purchased from local gardeners.
The initiative is built on a system of 18 garden groups, each made up of 8 to 10 members who meet weekly to exchange knowledge, share progress and strengthen community ties. It also provides free seeds, training and development support to residents, helping them succeed in small-scale horticulture.
Success at risk
Training is facilitated by John Kauena, a young horticulture trainer from Hoachanas, who works closely with residents to provide practical agricultural skills. His work has been vital in equipping the community with techniques to grow food even in harsh conditions, a mission now under threat due to the lack of water.
“The water crisis is halting everything we have worked for,” Rheent said. “Our gardens are dying, our feeding programmes are affected and families are losing the means to support themselves.”
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