In April 2018 Food & Trees for Africa launched our first gardens for Homes project with Tiger Brands in Mohlakeng. We have partnered with Tiger Brands to work at the St John the Divine Orphanage in the area over the last 10 months. The initial work done has focused on scaling up the centre’s existing food garden to ensure they can begin to supplement the feeding scheme. In addition, 2000 trees have been distributed to local community members to improve environmental conditions, provide fruit, and generate buy-in on the community level for the work St John the Divine does.
This gardens for homes project builds on the impact already achieved and extends it to the community. Local community members have been trained to help residents establish their gardens. These community members (Community Educators) will be involved in monitoring the gardens going forward.
On the 6th of April, a total of 500 home gardens were distributed to local community members to establish their gardens. It was a phenomenal day of activity, where community members arrived to collect their gardens. Each household received compost, fertiliser, herbs, seeds, a bucket, watering can and hand tools to start their garden. FTFA facilitators visited the gardens one week later and were happy to find thriving seedlings, germinating seeds, and innovative containers used to extend growing space.
We look forward to returning in spring for harvest and replanting of vegetables.
