Support small-scale food gardens on 4 April!

Be sure to visit a Checkers store near you on Thursday, 4 April for Market Day. It will be a great opportunity for customers to support local food gardens as all proceeds go to the garden, which in most cases have commercial ambitions.

This will also be an excellent opportunity to support small-scale food gardens that provide sustainable nourishment and income opportunities for vulnerable communities across the country.

In a statement released by Abigail Calata, PR Manager: Corporate Social Investment, it’s said as part of its strategy to fight hunger, the Shoprite Group acts for change by partnering with more than 70 gardens. In partnership with Food & Trees for Africa, the retailer offers training and provides gardening equipment as well as seedlings over a period of at least 18 months.

“Market Day is an outflow of this, as it enables community food gardens to promote themselves to a broader customer base and sell their excess crops. It provides them with some much-needed extra income, but also helps boost their independence which, in turn, leads to greater sustainability.

“Checkers is empowering us by giving us a chance to sell our tomatoes, chilies, spinach and other vegetables,” said Oupa Bila, director of the Carroll Shaw Memorial Centre in Brandvlei, Randfontein.

We hope the customers love our vegetables!”

Oupa and his team will be participating in Market Day at Checkers Tambotie.

According to Robyn Hills, Food & Trees for Africa programme manager, Market Day is also a great opportunity for the gardens to put into practice the marketing and business skills they’ve learnt as part of the Shoprite Group’s support.

“Some of these gardens have commercial ambitions and this kind of exposure opens their minds to the great opportunities out there and gives them the experience to grab them.”