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HISTORY OF ORANGE FARM:

Orange Farm is an informal settlement situated approximately 55 kilometers south of Johannesburg. It was established in 1989 when displaced people from Mshenguville in Soweto, Alexandra, Evaton and other areas started putting up galvanized iron shacks in the area. From an estimated 3 000 residents in 1989, the population of Orange Farm grew a pace and is now estimated to exceed 380 000 families. The social conditions of Orange Farm are not unique in terms of other South African informal settlements and are not similar in the material conditions faced by the majority of South Africans.

In Orange Farm the inadequacy of existing facilities is very apparent:
* The nearest designated hospital is more than 15 km away,
* Existing facilities are usually beyond the means of the average resident,
* There are no cultural facilities,
* Recreational and children facilities are completely lacking.

As is the case with other information settlement in South Africa. Orange farm's location maximizes its isolation from central business district the distance factor dramatically increases the length of the working day and raises transport costs for breadwinners who are usually only earning subsistence wages.The economic difficulties as faced by this and other communities have resulted in an epidemic social problems such as crime and alcoholism and a reduction in the quality of family life.

Above: Conquest For Life’s first office in Orange Farm at Masibambani College

Orange farm suffers a disproportionately high unemployment figure and this is continuously being exacerbated by the current economic situation in the country with is characterized by retrenchment and job shortages. This unemployment has resulted in a worsening of the poverty and hardship endures by the resident of Orange farm.

ORANGE FARM OFFICE:

In 2004 Conquest For Life opened an office in Orange Farm. The office runs almost all  projects as the other offices. The office is managed by young people from Orange Farm.
Conquest For Life had a partnership with the Masibambane College and use to run its operation from the college at the Vienna Centre.

In 2006 Conquest For Life decided to take the same approach as in all the other areas of operation. It is important for Conquest For Life to:

• Have its own identity
• Create its own track record
• Focus on its own corporate identity
• Brand the Organisation

Above: Orange Farm office

With this in mind it was than important for Conquest For Life to have its own space. We found a house in Orange Farm Ext 1 and decide that we will rent the property with an option to buy. Orange farm also runs most of the Conquest For Life Projects. We are also doing a few developments on the house and should be completed soon.

Above: Computer Centre in Orange Farm