In addition to the administrative staff, some 60 people are employed in production. These team members live with their families on the estate in houses provided for by the farm. In order to empower all their staff with a variety of skills, a Skills Development Centre was established in 2007.

Many staff members are also illiterate and literacy classes are therefore held in the evenings. A Women’s Discussion Club will soon be created and a variety of social activities are arranged for the youngsters at weekends.

Since most parents with small children are working, Bon Courage has also organized a crèche for the small ones where they are fed and bathed before being fetched by their parents at the end of the working day.

For André’s wife Irmela, who initiated the development centre and the crèche, it is all a matter of taking responsibility and giving people a chance to improve. ”It is about changing people’s lives and to prepare for tomorrow”.