MEME NGEMA APPLAUDS SOCIAL WORKERS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO FOOD SECURITY IN EKURHULENI

Social Work Manager, Meme Ngema during the Social Work Day Celebration in Benoni

By Phetoho Maja 

• Meme Ngema, Social Work Manager of the Gauteng Department of Social Development, lauds social workers in Ekurhuleni Region for their contribution to the green economy by utilising backyard spaces in service points to grow vegetables for their communities.
• This innovative approach, termed ‘Green Social Work’, addresses poverty and food insecurity by empowering families to establish backyard gardens,   demonstrating the impactful role of social workers in community development.
• The celebration of Social Work Day at Mary Moodley CYCC in Benoni highlighted the transformative efforts of social workers, promoting solidarity and advocating for innovative, people-centred interventions to foster transformative change in communities.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development, Social Work Manager, Meme Ngema has given social workers a pat on the back for contributing to the green economy. 

Social Workers in Ekurhuleni Region have used their backyard space in service points to plant and grow vegetables, which in turn, will benefit their communities. 

“In South Africa, we have a number of people that are engulfed by poverty. We have seen several initiatives started by our social workers and non-profit organisations ensuring that families establish backyard gardens.” 

“This innovation speaks more about ‘Green Social Work’, and I am glad to say we have a few offices that have such gardens,” said Ngema, speaking during the celebration of Social Work Day at Mary Moodley CYCC in Benoni.

“We are seeing pockets of our offices that are rendering magnificent programmes that are changing lives. As social workers, we do not brag enough about what we do, and it’s about time that we show off the change we bring to communities,” she added. 

Scores of social workers in Ekurhuleni glaring in black and green colours converged at Mary Moodley CYCC to celebrate Social Work Day and to show solidarity. The event was observed under the theme, “Shared Future for Transformative Change.”

This day emphasised the need for social workers to adopt innovative, people-centred and community-led interventions, grounded in indigenous wisdom and harmonious co-existence.

Picture by Phetoho Maja