Upper Highway NPO has green fingers
Imifino NPSO set up food gardens, food forests, rainwater harvesting and nutritional cooking initiatives for communities in need.
IN the aftermath of the devastating April floods, which rocked many parts of KZN, Imifino, an Upper Highway non-profit organisation, was able to collect basic food and water supplies for flood victims.
The team, made up of locals Matt and Kaz Wilson and Andre Rutishauser, personally distributed to families who had lost everything.
“We also partnered with other NPOS to extend our reach,” said Kaz.
According to Kaz, the NPO was formed in 2020 as a response to the ongoing crisis that affected rural communities over the last few years.
“The organisation is primarily involved in the installation of sustainable organic food and medicinal herb gardens, with the necessary training and workshops, around small-scale organic agriculture and nutrition, with a strong focus on creating awareness on wild superfood greens,” explained Kaz.
Imifino is the isiZulu name for ‘edible wild greens’.
“These traditional foods have been the pillar of wellness for hundreds of years. Imifino has been involved with ongoing feeding programs and soup kitchens, especially for vulnerable children and the elderly.
“There are many different types, and these have been a staple part of people’s diets throughout history. Imifino or wild greens are nutritional superfoods – in fact, more nutritious than most commercial vegetables,” she said.
The NPO’s first initiative was at the Vumelani Children’s Centre in Edamini, Shongweni.
When the organisation first started working with Vumelani, it was operating as a children’s orphan centre and now has grown into an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre.
“We firstly assisted with a soup kitchen, which led to the planting of a fruit forest, and then finally a fully functional food garden, with a rainwater-harvested water supply,” said a proud Kaz.
One of the NPO’s projects involves a partnership with Halfway Ford Waterfall and Keep Hillcrest Beautiful Association, and together, they have adopted a verge on Old Main Road, Hillcrest.
“We are planting indigenous succulents and specifically spekboom plants, one of nature’s best carbon sequestrators, which means the plant converts carbon to oxygen, therefore cleaning our air,” said the excited Kaz.
The team is also currently working on a super exciting initiative where Imifino will be involved with ‘cleaning up’ towns, while facilitating valuable training and experience to the destitute people in surrounding communities.
“This will not only take the vulnerable people off the street for periods of time but provide some life skills and training,” she said.
“Very importantly, Imifino is a public benefit organisation that can issue Section 18a certificates, which is beneficial for tax deduction purposes,” added Kaz.
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