The tree represents the children’s promise to look after and care for their garden.
She also educated and showed 30 selected children how use an empty toilet roll and half a plastic bottle, to plant a spinach seed that they need to look after and help grow.
Johnson, together with the learners, planted 69 trays of various vegetables, such as cabbage, spinach, carrots and cauliflower, on the school grounds.
This exercise served as a practise run for the planting of a vegetable garden.
“I believe giving children responsibility is important, so that they can develop a sense of pride in what they have achieved; this will motivate them to continuously apply effort and care to what they do,” said Johnson.
The school has also been sponsored with a Bokashi Bin, which will educate the children on the importance of recycling.
“Being a health practitioner, a physiotherapist and working in a government hospital, I am passionate about people learning about their health and being able to take control of their health,” Johnson explained.
“Diabetes has such a high prevalence in this country and it all starts with correct lifestyles and the choices we adopt at a young age.
“If children can be taught to lead a healthier life and understand their bodies, there will be less of a burden on the healthcare system and lead to higher productivity.
“Through a vegetable garden, hopefully families will be able to feed themselves without food becoming a financial burden.”
On May 29, Johnson went back to the school and planted pansies and herbs in reused 2lt bottles, outside the Grade Five classrooms.
Five more lemon trees were also planted.
In tribute to World Hunger Day, she handed out oranges to the learners and teachers who helped with the planting.
Johnson thanked all her sponsors who made the garden planting possible.
The Miss Earth finalists will be announced on July 1, and Miss Earth 2015 will be crowned in September. – @IschkeBoksburg
