Maluti poverty alleviation projects get thumbs up

from the SABC

Deputy Minister of tourism and environmental affairs Rejoice Mabudafhasi says she is impressed with progress and development she has seen in poverty alleviation projects in Maluti a Phofung Municipality in the Eastern Free State.

Mabudafhasi is visiting different poverty alleviations projects after President Thabo Mbeki declared Maluti a Phofung as Nodal Point Area: "These projects are able to empower people, is not only about earning money but t o be empowered and get skills. We have 37 beneficiaries that have been trained on tourism and hospitality, and 39 on agriculture."

The deputy minister says next week more will be trained in business skills as this will empower people to be independent and start their own business.

The Maluti A Phofung Municipality falls under the Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality and according to the Independent Development Trust is one of the nodes with high level of poverty (88%). The unemployment rates within the district municipality are the highest in the province, at an average of 37% for the entire area.