Unemployed residents in Mamelodi encouraged to start vegetable garden businesses
The residents completed a two-week food gardening training aimed at helping unemployed community members start backyard vegetable gardens to improve food security and earn an income.
A total of 15 community members from Mamelodi underwent a two-week food gardening training, organised by Thandanani Drop Inn Centre in partnership with the Department of Agriculture.
Kate Kekana from the centre said the project aims to encourage unemployed Mamelodi residents to start their own backyard vegetable gardens at their residential places and sell the vegetables to earn an income.
She added that this is also one of their projects of food security and taking care of our environment.
“Thandanani Centre had been cleaning schools, churches, and illegal dumping sites, turning them into vegetable gardens as part of taking care of our environment,” said Kekana.
“The backyard food gardens also ensure that no child or family shall sleep on an empty stomach.
“The food gardening project encourages the public to start their own business of selling vegetables from their own gardens,” said Kekana.
Participants Lesetja Molokomme and Kedibone Nkoane said they have learned much from the project at the Thandanani Centre’s vegetable garden.
They planted vegetables such as onions and spinach, soon they will plant carrots and cabbage.
Molokomme said they were also taught how to plant and harvest vegetables, about the soil, and the different seasons of when to plant the different vegetables.
Nkoane added they were also taught how to make compost.
She added they are grateful because “we have learnt a skill about agriculture”.
“We are able to feed our families with fresh produce and our families no longer sleep on an empty stomach,” she added.
The participants received different sets of gardening tools, including seeds, as a start pack to start their own food gardens.
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