Meet Miss Earth semi-finalist

Rebecca McNally is one of the semi-finalists in the Miss Earth South Africa 2015.

She has a Master’s degree in Architecture, that she completed at Wits University last year. McNally reckons that throughout her studies, she has focused on sustainable design and green building methods.

McNally is working for Nicholas Whitcutt Architects, a firm based in Melville, Johannesburg. She entered the Miss Earth programme, which seeks to empower young South African women with the knowledge and platform to create a sustainable difference in the plight to combat the destruction of our natural heritage.

One of the programme’s social and environmental development projects is to set up a successful food garden at a disadvantaged institution or home.  “On 6 June I had the pleasure of meeting Carol Dyantyi, founding director of Ikageng-Itireleng Aids Ministry in Orlando west, Soweto.

Ikageng is a community-based organisation that supports orphaned and vulnerable children. Dyantyi started the organisation in 2002 and it has grown into an established facility that hundreds of children rely on for education, health and wellbeing,” explained McNally.

Dytantyi said, “[Nutritional support] is one of the key interventions to the constant challenge of child-headed households, and other orphaned and vulnerable children in Soweto, including those with chronic conditions. Ikageng-Itireleng also helps to start and run nutritional gardens for families to produce the food they need, themselves.” McNally added that the proposal for a food garden to be established at the Ikageng headquarters is in line with the organisation’s nutritional support goals.  “The short-term aim of the food garden is to provide a source of renewable and self-sustaining nourishment for the children and mentors who frequent the organisation’s offices and classrooms. The long-term aim is to provide a catalyst that will hopefully inspire members of the surrounding community to adopt similar means of subsistence in their own spaces.”

On 6 June, a fantastic group of community members and mentors assisted with the planting of the garden.
Existing terraced beds were cleared, turned and enriched with compost and organic fertiliser.  Winter vegetable seedlings including cabbage, lettuce, peas, carrots, beetroot, spinach, broccoli and onions were planted and watered.  The result is an abundant source of natural food that can produce over and over again with the right care and maintenance.

Details: Ikageng-Itireleng Aids Ministry, Rebecca McNally is one of the semi-finalists in the Miss Earth South Africa 2015.
She has a Master’s degree in Architecture, that she completed at Wits University last year.
She reckons that throughout her studies, she has focused on sustainable design and green building methods.
McNally is working for Nicholas Whitcutt Architects, a firm based in Melville, Johannesburg.
She entered the Miss Earth programme, which seeks to empower young South African women with the knowledge and platform to create a sustainable difference in the plight to combat the destruction of our natural heritage.
One of the programme’s social and environmental development projects is to set up a successful food garden at a disadvantaged institution or home.
“On 6 June I had the pleasure of meeting Carol Dyantyi, founding director of Ikageng-Itireleng Aids Ministry in Orlando west, Soweto.
Ikageng is a community-based organisation that supports orphaned and vulnerable children. Dyantyi started the organisation in 2002 and it has grown into an established facility that hundreds of children rely on for education, health and wellbeing,” explained McNally.
Dytantyi said, “[Nutritional support] is one of the key interventions to the constant challenge of child-headed households, and other orphaned and vulnerable children in Soweto, including those with chronic conditions. Ikageng-Itireleng also helps to start and run nutritional gardens for families to produce the food they need, themselves.”
McNally added that the proposal for a food garden to be established at the Ikageng headquarters is in line with the organisation’s nutritional support goals.
“The short-term aim of the food garden is to provide a source of renewable and self-sustaining nourishment for the children and mentors who frequent the organisation’s offices and classrooms. The long-term aim is to provide a catalyst that will hopefully inspire members of the surrounding community to adopt similar means of subsistence in their own spaces.”
On 6 June, a fantastic group of community members and mentors assisted with the planting of the garden.
Existing terraced beds were cleared, turned and enriched with compost and organic fertiliser.
Winter vegetable seedlings including cabbage, lettuce, peas, carrots, beetroot, spinach, broccoli and onions were planted and watered.
The result is an abundant source of natural food that can produce over and over again with the right care and maintenance.

Details: Ikageng-Itireleng Aids Ministry.
.