Thembelami garden flourishes
The care centre has one of the finest food gardens because of dedicated staff, residents and supporters.
Cummins and Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA) partnered and planted 200 fruit trees and vines at the Thembalami care centre gardens on February 15 to ensure the success of the garden.
The care centre has one of the finest food gardens because of dedicated staff, residents and supporters.
Cummins’ CSI and FTFA also donated vegetable and herb seedlings, compost, mulch and manure worth R60 000.
Thembalami grounds assistant Amon Maluleke, who is one of the founders of Bambanani Food and Herb Co-operative, volunteered at Thembalami for many months.
He helped establish the food garden before being offered a full-time position in October 2017.
It was his relationship with FTFA that resulted in Thembalami benefitting from the Cummins and FTFA partnership.
“The latest donation will ensure the gardens continue to yield rich rewards,” says Thembalami manager Elize Raath.
Michael Pearce from FTFA and two of his colleagues, Tim Abaa and Msizi Hlongwane, showed the 40 employees from Cummins how to spread mulch and work compost and manure into the soil.
The volunteers made a good start on the planting and Amon and the other Thembalami gardeners finished the job the next day.
“They played music and settled into our lapa, lit a fire and made wors rolls at lunchtime.
“Afterwards some of the employees approached me and thanked me for the day.
“They enjoyed getting their hands dirty and were in awe of the vegetable garden,” said Elize.
Elize added the folk at Cummins were just incredible people who are very motivated and dedicated to the centre’s garden.
Anthony Schäffler of Johannesburg-based Schäffler’s Garden Nursery and Landscaping initially designed, built and planted the garden.
He also donated a substantial amount of seeds and plants.
Since then, the garden has benefitted from wonderful community support, as well as continued support from Anthony.
Another regular contributor to Thembalami’s food garden is the North Rand District Scouts.
Last year, over 100 children, their parents and team leaders spent a productive day planting cauliflower, broccoli, beetroot, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, spring onion and celery, which were donated by Schäffler’s and the cubs.
The children returned with nine life-sized scarecrows they had made to keep the birds out of the food garden.
Thembelami is run by 116-year-old NPO Rand Aid.
The Lombardy East care centre provides a haven of hope for elders who are either financially or physically vulnerable.
It also incorporates the Max Ordman Deaf Association.
Set on 2.3 hectares of land, Thembalami’s open spaces have been put to good use, growing a bounty of fresh food.
It seems the Thembalami garden is growing relationships alongside the vegetables.
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