Greening initiatives help informal settlement
Malacca Road Informal Settlement residents have started veg gardens which they say has helped them become self-sufficient.
IT’S a peculiar sight, corn, madumbe, cabbage and tomato plants dot the ground in fenced off patches, planted a few meters away from a pile of garbage and burned rubble. But there is an air of hopefulness surrounding the Malacca Road Informal Settlement, not only do these gardens provide food for their families, but also to others who don’t have the means to grow organic food.
In recent years the green-building concept has started to gain traction internationally as governments and civil society take steps to adapt to the economic downturn. One man who wholeheartedly agrees is Eric Mjaja, chairperson of the Malacca Road committee, who said the vegetable gardens has helped the informal settlement improve the reality of those who do not always have access to food.
“We have more than 60 families living here and only some of the residents have jobs, so it’s important for us to be self sufficient. We’ve got plenty of madumbe here and corn and it makes us proud to see these foods grow.
“Having your own vegetable gardens provides more than just food security because we are also able to share it with other residents,” he said.
Njaja did however say where help was most needed was in helping manage, tend and look after the gardens better. “If people are willing to help with seeds and manure, that would be great. We haven’t cut the grass around the veg gardens so it looks a little untidy at the moment but we would love to grow the area and have more self-sustaining gardens,” he said
Contact Eric on 082 736 3379.
