Please introduce yourself

My name is David Leholobe Lekgwathi. I am 25 years old. My A! Training Year is 2015 (Inland node). I am passionate about Rural and Youth Development.

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Limpopo Province, Groblersdal in a Village called Sterkfontein, currently based in Tsakane, in (East Rand) Johannesburg.

What projects have you been involved in?

I’m involved in many projects. I will name those we started which are: Youth Moving Forward, Kick a Ball for Rural Communities, Share What You Know with Youth, PadAGirl and From a Girl to a Women.

And I’m also working as Service Engineer and Social Entrepreneur owner of Innovation Switch

Your village dream: How did the “Dig for Dignity” project start?

It is difficult to have access to water sources because we are far away, besides that the price to build as well is expensive, so we normally use wheel barrows to collect water from the river which is 3 to 5 kilometers from our houses.

We have to collect water twice daily and kids they doing that after school every day and it makes them feel tired they don’t even have time to do some activities and it also affect their homework’s , I’m so upset and pained by our water situation. For decades no one cared enough about Sterkfontein community to provide us with clean drink water we even drink with animals.

“I was walking in my community and seeing people pushing wheel barrows, while I was walking I meet 10 year old boy pushing 3*20 liters of water from the river and I realize the water was not clean I started asking him questions. Like what is this water for? Answer: Drinking. How far did you get water? He just pointed somewhere in the bush!!!

Where and when was this idea conceived?

Activate! Training space is where the idea was conceived in my module 3. I was with the Western Cape node and at the venue, I found that the water source was the mountain.

Why did you choose the name “Dig for Dignity”

The name “Dig for Dignity” share all desires of our differences putting our common human identity above all else, Dignity has the potential to change the community, but only if people like me help to spread the message.  We are born invaluable, priceless and irreplaceable. When our identity is accepted and we feel included, we are granted a sense of freedom and independence and a life filled with hope and possibility.

What do you plan on doing (give us insight on the projects)?

The plan for this project is to build boreholes in the community, it is a desire and mission to make clean drinking water available to homes, schools and sports facilities in Sterkfontein. Areas in the village lack clean running water and my hope is that I will have to make it possible. “It is heart-breaking experience to see people walking for miles and miles to fetch water only to get dirty water that is not good for human consumption”. Therefore it is my goal to at least drill boreholes at several central location in the village, it is my hope that I will be able to drill 10 water boreholes by July 2016, which will translate to 20 boreholes by December 2016.

Did Activate! Have any form of contribution into the development of the idea (Training resources, the network, etc.)?

Activate provided me with tools and project plan (Project plan Template, Project plan tools, objects cards, etc.) and looking forward to get more support from the network on this project.

How can people in and out of network support you?

Together we can help to bring clean water to a village in Sterkfontein. My heart fills with such happiness when I imagine the faces of these wonderful families as they see clean water for the first time.

Together we can help give love to a community of people that can sometimes be overlooked in our Municipality. By helping donate your project management skills, with sponsorships, drilling companies, proposals and sharing to your networks as well, you are also an integral part of the journey. I can’t wait to begin this project with you!

If you wish to contribute to David’s village dream, contact him on: Tel: 061 459 8955

Cell: 082 366 8007

E-mail: litc@live.co.za