HISTORY OF ORANGE FARM:
Orange Farm is an informal settlement situated approximately 55 kilometers
south of Johannesburg.
It was established in 1989 when displaced people from Mshenguville in Soweto, Alexandra, Evaton
and other areas started putting up galvanized iron shacks in the area. From an
estimated 3 000 residents in 1989, the population of Orange Farm grew a pace
and is now estimated to exceed 380 000 families. The social conditions of
Orange Farm are not unique in terms of other South African informal settlements
and are not similar in the material conditions faced by the majority of South
Africans.
In Orange Farm the inadequacy of existing facilities is very apparent:
* The nearest designated hospital is more than 15 km
away,
* Existing facilities are usually beyond the means of the average resident,
* There are no cultural facilities,
* Recreational and children facilities are completely lacking.
As is the case with other information settlement in South Africa.
Orange farm's location maximizes its isolation from central business district
the distance factor dramatically increases the length of the working day and
raises transport costs for breadwinners who are usually only earning
subsistence wages.The economic difficulties as faced by this and other
communities have resulted in an epidemic social problems such as crime and
alcoholism and a reduction in the quality of family life.
Above: Conquest For Life’s first office in Orange Farm at Masibambani College
Orange farm suffers a disproportionately high unemployment
figure and this is continuously being exacerbated by the current economic
situation in the country with is characterized by retrenchment and job
shortages. This unemployment has resulted in a worsening of the poverty and
hardship endures by the resident of Orange
farm.
ORANGE FARM OFFICE:
In 2004 Conquest For Life opened an office in Orange
Farm. The office runs almost all projects as the other offices. The
office is managed by young people from Orange Farm.
Conquest For Life had a partnership with the Masibambane College and use to run its operation
from the college at the Vienna Centre.
In 2006 Conquest For Life decided
to take the same approach as in all the other areas of operation. It is
important for Conquest For Life to:
- Have
its own identity
- Create
its own track record
- Focus
on its own corporate identity
- Brand
the Organisation
Above: Orange Farm office
With this in mind it was than important for Conquest For Life to have its own space. We found a house in Orange
Farm Ext 1 and decide that we will rent the property with an option to buy. Orange
farm also runs most of the Conquest For Life Projects.
We are also doing a few developments on the house and should be completed soon.
Above: Computer
Centre in Orange Farm
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