Rotary’s Garden of Life feeds hundreds
For information on how you can assist, call 082 940 9730 or email info@rotarybenoniaurora.co.za
Creating employment for a local gardener, supporting organisations, feeding the elderly and teaching children the importance of gardening was the idea behind the Garden of Life, established by the Rotary Club of Benoni Aurora eight months ago.
The garden is on the property of the iKhaya da Luz Children’s Home and has already fed around 300 people.
Rotarian Kevin Norris said the property was vacant and with the permission of the children’s home they were able to clean up that space to plant the garden.
“As the garden was meant to feed and assist, we purchased a tunnel from the Manger Care Centre in Brentwood Park,” he explained.
“Through the project, 13 people obtained their SETA-accredited certificate for agriculture and we employed a gardener to come in twice a week.”
He highlighted that the garden is environmentally friendly, as Rotary makes its own plant fertiliser, uses organic pesticides and the drip irrigation system, which is one of the most efficient methods for delivering water to crops with minimal waste.
The gardener plants seedlings donated by other organisations and the garden currently has a tunnel for growing vegetables and seedlings, fruit trees, a hive, the fertiliser patch and a storage unit.
They will also be starting a worm farm as soon as the worms arrive.
“Feeding the elderly is a project close to our president Yegalan Chetty’s heart. We selected Deneys Conradia and Pauline Davis and iKhaya da Luz Children’s Home as the beneficiaries of the harvest.
“Depending on the size of the harvest, we either give each resident vegetables or donate to the kitchen they get meals from.”
Norris added that those who benefit from the harvest are encouraged to take part in harvesting the vegetables.
Additional plans are being made to improve the garden and the Rotary Club of Benoni Aurora is welcoming all donations made towards the aid of the garden that is there to feed those in need in the community.
For information on how you can assist, call 082 940 9730 or email info@rotarybenoniaurora.co.za
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