CAP NEEDS NAMES
Struggling community gardens have been given boost.
A non-profit has donated cabbage and spinach seedlings to 11 food gardens in Langa and has called on businesses to do the same.
The food gardens, which are run by mostly unemployed women, support families in the community who are feeling the pandemic pinch but as the lockdown period was prolonged, even these gardens started to struggle. This inspired Inspire Development Centre (IDC), a non-profit organisation, to donate the seedlings.
IDC founder, Sabakhe Mahlangu, said: “We targeted predominantly women’s garden groups because they are reeling from the Covid-19 impact. Funds from donors have dried up leaving these gardeners to fend for themselves.“
As a result, only two of the 11 gardens were active before the donation.
“We hope this will now change for their good because we gave them 300 cabbage and 200 spinach seedlings as a start,” he said.
He added that while the seedlings were helpful they were far from sufficient.
“We are calling on corporates, organisations, government and residents to assist with donations to support these food gardens,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Tso Bhido from Nkandla Food Garden, thanked IDC for supporting and encouraging them.
“We will make sure that we have a great harvest here so that we can put food on the table and share with those who are hungry,” Ms Bhido said.
Yeyethu Injongo Community Food Garden’s Thulani Nxumalo said: “This will help the project move forward and to provide for all the members.”
Anyone wishing to start their own garden or to help can email IDC on sabakhe@gmail.com