Vegetable garden growing to feed community
“People from the community who are in desperate need are welcome to collect vegetables as the project was for the community.”
What was once an eyesore illegal dumping site in Sylvia Street in Akasia is now a luscious vegetable garden.
The vegetable garden project was part of the Life-Changing Homeless shelter’s Nelson Mandela Day initiative in July.
“People from the community who are in desperate need are welcome to collect vegetables as the project was for the community,” said Tebogo Mpufane from the organisation.
Staff members, beneficiaries, management as well as board members cleaned over two hectares of land and collected 155 bags of rubbish.
That was all in preparation for the vegetable garden situated opposite the shelter that grows spinach, beetroot, onion, tomatoes, carrots and other basic vegetables.
Currently, there are 97 beds of crops being attended to by the organisation’s beneficiaries, who water the garden and remove weeds when there is a need.
The Life-Changing Projects Homeless Shelter is a shelter that houses 200 men in the north of Pretoria.
They work closely with social workers and various stakeholders to ensure that beneficiaries can be reintegrated into society with skills that would equip them to stay off the streets.
Since April 2021, the organisation has received funds from the Social Development Department.
Among the organisation’s successes were assisting two beneficiaries who were referred for substance abuse treatment, reuniting 50 beneficiaries with their families, assisting 200 beneficiaries with ID applications so they could apply for Sassa, assisting 197 beneficiaries with the Sassa R350 social relief grant and the placement of 19 beneficiaries in jobs.
The organisation’s goal is to make a change in the community and they hope to grow more beds of crops as the need to supply vegetables grow.
All donations of seeds and gardening equipment are always welcome.
To donate, contact Tebogo Sehlwane at 082 364 4215.
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