Windhoek: The Hoachanas Children's Fund (HCF) is leveraging its weekly market day initiative to generate income opportunities for local gardeners while enhancing food security and supporting vulnerable children and families in the community. The HCF Market Day, a weekly event held every Tuesday in Hoachanas, offers a platform for community members to sell fresh produce from their backyard gardens, with HCF purchasing vegetables directly from local producers.

According to Namibia Press Agency, HCF project coordinator Kenneth Rheent highlighted that the initiative is part of the organisation's broader efforts to improve livelihoods and create sustainable opportunities for children, young people, and vulnerable families. "The organisation has been serving the Hoachanas community for the past 25 years, with programmes focusing on food security, education, youth development, and community empowerment," Rheent said.

HCF's September 2026 Community Impact Assessment reveals significant growth in the backyard garden project, expanding from approximately 20 to 30 gardens in 2024 to more than 200 community gardens in 2026. "The project combines agricultural training, access to affordable seeds, community organisation, and local procurement, allowing households to produce food while creating opportunities to generate income from surplus produce," Rheent explained.

HCF allocates a weekly purchasing budget of about N$4,000 to buy fresh vegetables from gardeners every Tuesday. Between January and June 2026, the organisation invested N$91,804 in locally produced vegetables, directly returning economic value to Hoachanas households. The acquired vegetables are then distributed to 18 soup kitchens, two HCF OVC centres, and local schools. These soup kitchens serve more than 400 school children daily, creating a cycle where local agricultural production generates household income and supports community nutrition.

"The HCF Market Day is not just a marketplace for buying and selling produce, but part of a broader community development initiative," Rheent remarked. In addition to supporting local gardeners, the organisation aids learners and students with tuition fees, accommodation, and learning materials. Afternoon classes, English group projects, and tutoring programmes offer further educational support.

Currently, HCF coordinates over 20 soup kitchens and approximately 200 backyard gardens. The garden project has introduced a savings mechanism for participating gardeners, with 30 gardeners currently saving from their market day income. Rheent emphasized the organisation's goal to strengthen household income, self-employment, food security, and financial resilience in Hoachanas.