Cluny Farm partners with GFDIA to help farm residents learn how to grow vegetables
KYALAMI – Van Rooyen said four years ago, the organisation entered into a partnership with GFDIA to help teach intellectually challenged farm residents how to grow vegetables and make cookies.
Cluny Farm non-profit organisation, in partnership with Green Finger Development Initiative Africa (GFDIA), are on a mission to change the status quo for people living with mental disabilities.
Cluny Farm has provided both residential and day-care services to more than 50 people living with intellectual disabilities for nearly 65 years in Kyalami.
A board member at Cluny Farm, Caroline van Rooyen, said four years ago, the organisation entered into a partnership with GFDIA to help teach intellectually challenged farm residents how to grow vegetables and make cookies.
“Before we embarked on this project with GFDIA, we had vegetable tunnels that were not being utilised for many years. Four years ago we decided to look for an organisation that could help teach our residents how to utilise the land to grow food for the facility.
“Someone referred us to Green Finger Development Initiative Africa and they agreed to help us grow vegetables. They taught our beneficiaries, step by step, how to plant and grow vegetables.”
Van Rooyen added that the farm residents embraced the project and they wake up every day to work in the tunnels voluntarily. “Our residents enjoy working in the garden every day. Some work in the bakery, where they are taught how to bake cookies. The project keeps them busy every day and they have a good relationship with staff members that work with them.
“Some of the vegetables grown in the garden are used to feed residents and another chunk goes to the market to be sold in order to raise funds to take care of other needs for our facility.
“We have recently harvested the first production of the year and we are currently planting the second stock.”
