Home Grown - Kagiso's Story

Kagiso Monegi is a part of Hlumelelisa’s training team – she currently serves as lead facilitator at our horticulture training centre at the Leeuwkop Correctional Facility and in the past has served as both an office assistant and as a training assistant in the Female Section at the Johannesburg Central Correctional Facility (“Sun City”).

Kagiso is a “home grown” member of the Hlumelelisa team – she started with us in 2008 not as a facilitator but as a student. Kagiso joined our seven-month short skills training course in plant production at the Bophelong Community Centre in Diepsloot. Though somewhat shy, Kagiso proved to be a quick and eager learner and was brought on as a training assistant soon after she completed the course. Kagiso was a team favourite amongst the female students in her role as a training facilitation assistant at Sun City.

Photos Left to Right: Kagiso as Hlumelelisa learner in Diepsloot in 2008 & handing out graduation certificates and hugs at Sun City class of 2009 graduation.

Since then, Kagiso has continued to grow and develop as a vital member of the Hlumelelisa team. Paul Bruns, Hlumelelisa’s Project Manager, relates that he is constantly amazed at her determination and growth over the past several years, “She has completely transformed from the shy, hesitant person we first met at our training programme in Diepsloot. She is now a confident and proud member of the team. You can hear the change in the tone of her voice – she is the embodiment of the change that Hlumelelisa hopes to impart to our learners as we work to grow people.”

Kagiso has continued to grow herself and develop her skills – she’s completed in-depth training in permaculture and sustainable agriculture at the Siyakhana Initiative and has also achieved certification as both a moderator and assessor with the Agriculture SETA. She speaks Swetswana as well as English and is the mother of two beautiful daughters, Omolemo and Oamogetswe. Hear more about Kagiso’s journey in her own words by clicking this link to her video testimonial - you will also hear from Siza who was the subject of our prior learner story.

Photos Left to Right: Kagiso with Hlumelelisa team at gardening fair in Soweto in 2010 and showcasing AgriSETA certification with training staff and learners at Leeuwkop in 2010.