Synergistic Covenant Network turning illegal dump into flourishing opportunity for jobs

Synergistic Covenant Network is turning barren soil into economic opportunities.

For several years, the skills development non-profit organisation has been attempting to repurpose a field at the corner of Minnaar and Campbell Streets. Used as an illegal dump site, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo have granted Synergistic a lease on the land which will now become an extension of their wider training offering. Removing the dumped waste took 12 Pikitup truck-loads but the field has been plowed in anticipation of the first crop.

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A new branch of Synergistic, AgriSCN, has been formed with Virgil Nkosi and Casey Francis heading up the project. The pair have perfected their techniques in smaller stands on Synergistic’s property across the street and are keen to share their new-found love with the rest of the Synergistic students. They aim to grow all types of vegetables and herbs and hope to create employment and income through resale, turning produce into sauces and pestos as well as the accompanying packaging.

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As with everything under the Synergistic umbrella, empowering the youth by setting them on a course for economic independence and entrepreneurship is at the core of the project.

“There are so many youth people who have so much potential but they are sitting at home,” said Vigil.

“I think it carries a message of hope. It shows that putting your mind to something and achieving your goal will encourage you to do more,” added Casey.

Once the crop is planted and germinated, Virgil and Casey will embark on a door-to-door campaign to raise awareness of backyard gardening. The long-term goal is to create an operational business that employs over twenty people from within the community. Synergistic train people to open their own business and have in the past week just graduated eight welders who have gone on to find jobs.

Every business that sprouts from Synergistic’s efforts is an individual success story and something the NPO’s manager, Ellery Booth, is extremely proud of.

“Lots of businesses can be birthed from here. We want to have success and we want to see people thrive,” she said.

Should the community see the opportunity to help turn sand into profit, they can help with fertiliser, irrigation, tools, and even hard work.