Fledgling farmers’ hard work is paying off
Community members who are willing to assist can call the Manger Care Centre on 011 747 8700.
Through hard work and dedication, two Eden beneficiaries have successfully started their own company growing and selling vegetables in Benoni.
Eden is a place of safety situated opposite Manger Care Centre, in Brentwood Park.
Samuel Monyemore and Ivyn Papo came to Manger Care Centre in 2019 looking for a safe place.
Today, both agree that seeing the fruits of their labour has encouraged them to push forward.
In 2019, the Manger Care Centre obtained funding to allow 10 learners to complete their NQF level 4 in plant production.
This is where the duo equipped themselves to make their project a success.
Naidene Anderson, from the organisation, said that they had identified the dedication showed by the two men and sponsored them with land, equipment and seedlings to get started.
“We believe in helping our beneficiaries as best we can and we saw Samuel and Ivyn were dedicated. Now all the hard work that they had put in is paying off.”
Monyemore and Papo came from different backgrounds and both said that farming was not something that they thought they would end up doing.
“I had been making traditional art for 13 years before I came here and what lead me to this place was my drinking problem, I knew that I needed help and this was where I found it.
“Working the ground I found that it could also be compared to art as you have to be creative to be able to grow vegetables,” said Monyemore.
He added that he found farming to be therapeutic and he hopes that one day he will be able to make a difference.
Papo found his way to the organisation after struggling to find a job.
“Sometimes we cannot stay with family if we are unable to provide because they believe that once you cannot provide, you are not useful to the household.
“I am doing this to fix my life and hopefully one day I will make enough to be able to provide for my daughter and make her proud.”
He highlighted that one of their long-term goals is to be able to grow enough vegetables to donate to those in need.
While the farm still needs a lot of work, one of their most urgent requests is to get a tractor to plough the whole field.
This will allow them to work the ground easily and plant more vegetables.
They are also grateful to the Manger Care Centre for donating all the tools they needed to get started.
Community members who are willing to assist can call the Manger Care Centre on 011 747 8700.
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