Matshidiso Primary School receives food garden to tackle poverty and promote environmental awareness
A new food garden established through a partnership between Goby Foundation, and Hitachi aims to promote sustainability and provide relief to vulnerable families.
Tsakani – Matshidiso Primary School officially received a food garden on June 23 through a partnership between the Goby Foundation and Hitachi Construction Machinery Southern Africa with support from Gauteng Department of Education (GDE).
The initiative aims to alleviate poverty within the school and surrounding community while promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices.
Speaking at the handover, Goby Foundation director Vaughn Bishop said the organisation uses sport and interactive activities to teach learners about climate change, recycling and the value of plastic waste.
“We teach learners why plastic has value and why it should not be thrown on the ground.
“The aim is also to educate them about climate change in a fun and exciting way through sport because children enjoy playing.
“And that makes it easier for them to understand the importance of protecting the environment,” said Bishop.
Bishop explained that the Global Organisation for Brighter Youth (Goby) has worked with more than 400 schools across South Africa, focusing mainly on Grade Four learners.
According to Bishop, children at that age are more receptive to environmental education and are encouraged to recycle, reuse and repurpose plastic instead of discarding it carelessly.
He said the organisation rewards schools that collect the most plastic and create innovative products from recyclable material.
“Some of the recycled plastic is used to manufacture desk tops that are donated back to schools.
“The initiative is supported by various partners, including PETCO, which provides wheelie bins to schools to assist with proper plastic waste collection and recycling,” he explained.
Bishop said Hitachi Construction Machinery has been supporting Goby since the programme was launched in 2019 and shares the foundation’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
He further explained that the idea for the vegetable garden came after Hitachi approached the foundation with large off-road tyres that could be repurposed instead of discarded.
“After discussing the idea with the Gauteng Department of Education, we decided to create a vegetable garden.
“The tyres, which each weigh about a ton and measure three metres in height and width, were laid flat and filled with rich soil for planting,” he said.
Bishop added that the programme seeks to partner with schools that are well managed and committed to ensuring the success of such initiatives.
Hitachi’s managing director Tetsuya Ozawa said the company partnered with Goby as part of its commitment to creating a sustainable future.
“Our business vision is to ensure a prosperous society for the future. Land, society and the future are important pillars for us.
“Through partnerships with Goby and other socio-economic initiatives, we want to contribute positively to South Africa’s environment and communities while investing in young people,” said Ozawa.
Ozawa said the company is proud to contribute to the school by donating giant off-road tyres that were converted into vegetable beds.
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Head of human capital at Hitachi Alicia Persad said the initiative was aimed at helping learners access nutritious food while promoting self-sustainability.
“The purpose of the tyres is to encourage schools to grow their own vegetables instead of relying solely on buying produce.
“Children need nutritious meals because proper nutrition affects concentration and learning,” said Persad.
She added that the environmental education component of the project aligns with the company’s global sustainability goals.
“We want to educate children about plastic waste and teach them from a young age about the importance of preserving the environment and finding ways to repurpose plastic,” she added.
District deputy chief education specialist for policy, planning, information systems and strategic planning, Poovan Chetty, said the Goby Foundation first partnered with the Gauteng East District during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, when the organisation donated sporting equipment to 20 schools.
“As part of the Department of Education’s objective to promote sports development, Goby came on board to support schools with sporting equipment.
“Earlier this year they returned and reinvested in those same schools, where sporting activities are currently taking place,” said Chetty.
He explained that the district nominated Matshidiso Primary School for the food garden project because the school already had an existing garden initiative.
Chetty said the produce grown in the garden would complement the department’s school nutrition programme.
“Whatever is harvested from the food garden will enhance the nutritional value of meals provided through the nutrition programme,” he said.
He cited that the initiative would also have a positive impact on families experiencing hardship.
“As the department and as management, we are here to make a difference in the lives of township children.
“Any support that comes through partnerships with companies ultimately benefits learners first, but it has a ripple effect that reaches the wider community.
“Surplus produce can also benefit families and community members,” said Chetty.
Gauteng East District director Somikazi Chabalala described the handover of the food garden as an example of the positive impact of public-private partnerships. She said the project goes beyond food security.
“Matshidiso is a special school for learners with severe intellectual disabilities.
“This project is not only about vegetables, but about giving these children practical experiences, building confidence and teaching them that they can produce something for themselves,” she said.
She added that the initiative would help nurture resilience and provide learners with an opportunity to care for and harvest crops, while also benefiting the wider community.
The school principal, Thapelo Tshetlo, said the food garden would benefit learners from different backgrounds while strengthening practical learning and sensory stimulation.
Tshetlo said gardening forms part of the school’s curriculum and teaches learners how to repurpose materials such as tyres to grow vegetables and flowers.
“Our learners are trainable, and the food garden provides sensory stimulation. They get excited because learning takes place outside the classroom and through play,” he said.
He added that the Goby Foundation had donated seeds, including potatoes, carrots and beetroot, which would help expand the school’s existing garden.
Tshetlo said one of the school’s immediate needs was protective netting to shield crops from birds and other pests.
He also welcomed the foundation’s recycling programme, saying it would complement the school’s existing fundraising initiatives.
“We will encourage learners to bring plastic from home for recycling. This can help raise funds while teaching them the value of protecting the environment,” he said.
Tshetlo expressed gratitude for the continued support from the Goby Foundation and Hitachi.
“I am over the moon with this project,” he said.
