Local NPC empowers homeless residents through regenerative training
3M Earth in Craighall Park is cultivating more than organic produce; it is creating opportunities for people experiencing homelessness through regenerative farming skills.
What began as an experiment in a neglected suburban garden in Craighall Park has grown into an initiative helping vulnerable residents learn to grow food and develop practical skills.
3M Earth NPC, a non-profit organisation based in Craighall, focuses on testing and sharing low-cost organic farming methods while training disadvantaged communities in regenerative agriculture.
Read more: Harvest of Hope community gardens thrive across Johannesburg
The project uses the JADAM natural farming method from South Korea, which promotes sustainable farming using affordable, locally available materials.
Andrea Lee-Rosen, founder of 3M Earth, said the goal is to show that healthy food can be grown even in small urban spaces.
“We started experimenting in a neglected garden to demonstrate that people do not need expensive equipment or chemicals to grow nutritious food,” said Lee-Rosen.
In collaboration with the Johannesburg Homelessness Network, the organisation recently trained 10 homeless individuals in organic farming techniques through a presidential employment stimulus programme. Although the programme funding has ended, four participants have continued their training, and three are preparing to become trainers themselves.
“We want the people we train to eventually teach others so the knowledge can spread to more communities,” Lee-Rosen added.
Also read: Residents and gardeners cleanup Fearmhead Park
Sustainability is central to the project. Organic waste such as vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and eggshells from local businesses are used to enrich the soil, while discarded materials like olive oil tins and wood are repurposed for garden structures.
The team has also begun producing value-added products such as tomato paste and chilli sauces from heirloom vegetables grown in the garden. Two women are currently being trained in product preparation, with hopes of selling the items in future.
The garden operates on property owned by the REEA Foundation, established in 1929 to support residents living with severe epilepsy and related conditions.
Looking ahead, 3M Earth hopes to expand its training programmes and collaborate with other urban farming projects across Johannesburg.
The organisation is also appealing for community and private sector support, including donations to install a borehole that would provide a reliable water source for the growing initiative.
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