Vegetable gardens bring hope to Malacca Rose settlement

VEGETABLE gardens have sprung up across the Malacca Road informal settlement after seedlings were donated through The Seed Fund on Mandela Day in July. The gardens have empowered residents to feed their families with fresh produce such as spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce and potatoes.

Sandile Dlamini, a resident with a flourishing vegetable garden said he is happy to see his vegetables growing so well. “I get fresh vegetables from the garden and I’m happy to have my own fresh food. I would encourage others to grow their own food,” he said.

Founder of The Seed Fund, Arianne Hayes-Hill said she is delighted to see residents growing their own food.

“When you begin to see the vegetables growing and you begin to harvest vegetables, I think it gives you a sense of accomplishment and purpose. You are doing something that gives you a sense of value as well. It helps to build you up, instead of feeling hopeless. I think whenever you see something grow, it shows you that you have the potential to make a difference,” she said.

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The initiative aimed to empower the community to be self-sufficient, so they would not need to rely on food hand outs, said Hayes-Hill.

“The object of the seedling donation was to get people to plant vegetables so they could feed their families, and that is what’s happening. What’s more, we are now seeing people harvest the vegetables where there is actually a little bit too much, so now we need to be more creative. Do we bring produce into the soup kitchen or do we empower the community to go and sell it. Those are the options and opportunities we are looking for,” she said.

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Hayes-Hill hopes to empower more people to grow gardens in the community.

“What’s happening in the community is other people are seeing how these vegetable gardens are flourishing and they are beginning to realise that they could also grow vegetables. As soon as they see that they come to us and ask for compost and seedlings and we give it with pleasure,” she said.

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While The Seed Fund typically hosts a clean-up on Mandela Day, Hayes-Hill said the seedling donation has had a lasting effect, with benefits that far surpass previous clean-ups. “Two days later the place would have been untidy again, but when I look at these patches of land that are being allocated for vegetable gardens, I think, this would have been another shack,” she said.