Students ‘grow’ their skills in Parkhill

AN Urban Food Garden Project is underway at the Action in Autism Centre in Parkhill where students from the Shahumna Centre have started growing veggies to learn about horticulture farming and also to generate funds for the centre.

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They’ve started the crop with spinach but will soon move on to other veggies once the space allocated to the garden has been modified.

Speaking to Northglen News, Ashvir Dalu, Shahumna Centre manager, said students were trained by a team from the Durban Botanical Society and the City’s Parks and Gardens.

“We were taught about permaculture structure and how to create the environment for certain veggies to thrive. It was very exciting, and some of our students even learnt the scientific names of some vegetables. Gardening is also a good sensory exercise which is beneficial to autistic people,” he said.

A total of 15 students started their training in May. A month later, they were proficient in growing and taking care of their own plants. The model they were taught is the same as what commercial farmers use – only this one was on a smaller scale.

“We’ve taken the same model that we learnt at the Botanic Gardens and applied it here, but we do need a little more assistance to get us there,” he said.

Dalu added that this is where the community and businesses come in. The centre is looking for green waste to create its own compost which residents are encouraged to drop off.

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They would also like to have their water tank installed and are looking for businesses to sponsor pumps for the tanks. These two items are very important pieces to their veggie garden as it will keep operational costs to a minimum.

“We’re looking for any sponsorship that will help get this project off the ground – seeds, compost, top soil… anything. Locals are welcome to help us by coming to garden and get some green therapy. We will put up details on our Facebook page as to when they can join,” added Dalu.

He said, overall, the main aspect of starting this garden is to give students the experience they need, to get them involved in learning skills so hopefully they will be able to obtain a space in the workforce.

For more details on the Urban Food Project, contact Action in Autism on 031 563 3039 or visit their Facebook page: Action in Autism.

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