As part of our ongoing commitment to empowering our beneficiary organisations (BOs) through sustainable solutions, this year we launched the Food Gardens Connect (FGC) project.
The initiative aims to equip unemployed individuals, particularly youth, with the skills to grow their own food and generate income through agriculture.
To mark the start of the project we partnered with Kwakhanya Greening and Home-Based Care in Khayelitsha, which remains one of our key participants in FGC.
In collaboration with Soil for Life, seven more BOs have since joined the programme and have recently received their training certificates to mark the end of their six-week training session with FGC facilitator, Likopo ‘DK’ Sehlabo.

These beneficiary organisations (BO) – Sesona Sibane, Nomonde Educare, Mothers Unite, Sinethemba, Siyakatala, Joyce Ndinise, and Mother’s Unit – have been carefully selected to participate in the programme and grow their own vegetable gardens which they can use to earn an income or to feed their beneficiaries.
Carol Jacobs from Mothers Unite shared her experience: “I’ve learned a lot about composting and which vegetables grow well together. It has helped me tap into my creativity. DK would teach us something, but it would spark new ideas.
“There were many things I learned along the way. We’re not just learning to garden; we’re also getting the resources we need, which is so important. I had done home gardening before, but I struggled due to a lack of resources. Now, our garden is thriving, and that motivates us to do more.”
Nomahlubi Mfini says: “We want to send our big thanks to DK. Even if you go study, the most important thing is having a teacher who understands you, and DK is that person. He came to us, a group of older people, and we respect him, and he respects us. Gardens are so important; you treat them like they’re your baby. If a plant dies, it feels like losing a child. When you plant 46 seeds, you want to harvest 465 vegetables. We’ve learned so much from DK. He taught us to have gardens at home, and now we do.”

Thanks to the guidance of DK, these BOs are now ready to grow fresh produce, just in time for the holiday season, and continue serving their communities with healthy, home-grown food.