This month, Fortress REIT and Weskus Mall continued their country-wide greening initiative with a tree planting volunteer day at Masiphathisane Primary School in Vredenburg, Western Cape. After a practical demonstration — and a meaningful lesson on how to look after these trees — thirty fruit trees were planted around the school grounds. Simultaneously, Fortress REIT and Weskus Mall volunteers assisted seven local residents, previously trained by Food & Trees for Africa as Community Educators, in distributing 1,000 trees to 500 grateful Vredenburg residents.
The 1,000 fruit trees generously sponsored by Fortress REIT and Weskus Mall were distributed and planted through Food & Trees for Africa’s Trees for Homes programme. This is the first of two such distributions to take place in Vredenburg during the winter months.
The second major tree distribution event is scheduled to take place before the end of the month from the Louwville Community Garden which is also a recipient of eighty six fruit trees through the same initiative.
The impassioned commitment of Fortress REIT and Weskus Mall to nation-wide greening has been evident through the beginning stages of this project. Positive impacts are already being felt at Masiphathisane Primary School, Panorama Primary School, and Louwville Community Garden. Each of these beneficiaries has received numerous fruit trees of different varieties so they may enhance their drive for food security. In particular, Louwville Community Garden will have an expanded range of produce for market in the years to come.
Furthermore, the provision of food garden support has also been made by Fortress REIT and Weskus Mall which will be rolled out in the upcoming months.This will result in yet another significant step towards future food security for the Vredenburg beneficiaries.