You’re encouraged to purchase your fresh produce here
Five years ago a seed of thought was planted in the minds of Kids Haven members who built on their dream, and, today, that dream generates opportunities for local businesses to support a community and develop a group of volunteers.
Kids Haven, in Cranbourne Avenue, visited the community of the Mogoba informal settlement, in Etwatwa, in 2011, as part of an initiative to improve the conditions of the Siphumelele Care Centre, by providing new classrooms, toilets and a vegetable garden for them.
While planting the vegetable garden, the members of the charity thought about planting vegetables – including carrots, cabbage, spinach, kale, onions and beetroot – on a larger scale in the Mogoba area, in the hope of selling the produce to residents and businesses.
By 2015, the Mogoba Food Garden and Development Project (MFGDP) was a successful 2ha vegetable garden.
“Hopefully local businesses can show support by buying their vegetables from the garden,” said co-ordinator of fund-raising at Kids Haven, Susan Daly.
Benoni residents, who are unable to travel to Mogoba to buy produce, can do so every Thursday, at R10 a bag, from Kids Haven’s charity shop, in Cranbourne Avenue.
Maintenance of the garden requires skilled labourers who know how to grow vegetables.
“We have trained two groups, each comprising 15 Mogoba residents, since 2013,” said another member of Kids Haven, Fani Mnisi.
“Sadly, some people did not stay with us after being trained, so we have only 19 workers now.”
These residents were trained in the areas of hydroponic farming, fertilisers, irrigation, challenges and problems and how to overcome them, plant support, labour, storage, marketing, planning, health awareness and cleanliness, in order to tend to the vegetable garden.
“We can safely say that, since the inception of the garden in 2015, 30 families receive vegetables more often than usual,” Mnisi said.
“Because they are volunteers and the business is fairly new, they do not receive a salary.
“But, when they discuss the matter with the committee which oversees the garden’s success, they may take vegetables home.”
Project co-ordinator Sam Mokgopha said the volunteers have been given a sense of purpose, thanks to the vegetable garden.
“When we started the project, one of the men drank from every morning till late on a daily basis and it became a problem to other members, who were even thinking of kicking him out,” he said.
“I refused, and suggested that we put him on the disciplinary committee.
“His behaviour was turned around so quickly, to the surprise of most project members.
“He is now one of my trusted guys on the project.”
But none of this would be possible for the vegetable garden, which is registered with the department of trade and industry, without funding from the Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) and the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).
“We needed funding from both associations and are grateful for their assistance,” Daly said.
So far, the funds have been used to improve the garden’s infrastructure.
“We have built a fence around the garden and bought tools and uniforms for the workers,” said Mnisi.
Although the land does not belong to Kids Haven, Ward 25’s Clr Makgoba Kgopa wrote to them, on behalf of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), permitting the vegetable garden until 2019, because the department of education then intends to use the land for secondary schooling.
“The garden will remain on the land even after the school is developed, and will contribute to the school,” Daly said.
“Our goal is to have the garden able to sustain itself eventually.”
By September, Mnisi hopes to begin training workers for the poultry section, in order to ell chickens.
Anyone who would like to order produce may contact Mnisi on 082 672 02920, Daly on 083 442 7717, Mokgopha on 073 265 4135 or the Kids Haven office on 011 421 4222.
Also read:
Business donates 62 bags of carrots
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