Sponsors keep EduPlant workshops going for three years
In 2010, Absa, Engen and the Woolworths Trust have committed R12m over the next three years to EduPlant, a permaculture food gardening programme coordinated by Food & Trees for Africa that encourages schools to cultivate their own food in an ecologically sustainable manner. The programme has been operating for the past 16 years across South Africa.
The organisation has rolled-out its one-day workshop programme, which equips educators across the country with the necessary skills to allow them to cultivate permaculture gardens in their own schools and in this way help address food shortages in their communities.
Sharing skills for a better future
Many of the educators who have participated in previous workshops have become so engaged in the permaculture way of gardening that they share their newfound skills, resulting in more gardens and more sustainably grown food in their communities.
“We are delighted that the programme has grown so meaningfully and has now attracted two more funding partners. We are now able to reach even more educators through the 72 workshops and extend the programme to benefit more schools,” says Jeunesse Park, founder of EduPlant.
“Food security is an urgent issue with more than 300 million in Africa going to bed hungry every night and this will be exacerbated by climate change so it is vital to teach communities that for minimal financial investment they can sustainably and independently grow their own good food and improve their quality of life.”
The programme encourages youth to live in harmony with the environment while reaping the benefits of healthy food and a more eco-conscience lifestyle. The Department of Basic Education supports the initiative as it means the learners who are fed from the permaculture gardens are better able to learn and retain what they have been taught.
Workshop prizes
The workshops started on 26 January 2010 and will continue until 20 March 2010. All interested educators should either visit www.trees.co.za or contact Joanne Rolt on +27 (0) 11 656 9802 about workshops in the area.
All the educators who have participated in the permaculture food gardening workshops have the opportunity to enter its competition funded by the sponsors. Schools stand the chance of winning great prizes as well as a trip to Gauteng for the 70 finalists in October this year where they will spend three days in exciting workshops aimed at broadening their skills.
