ENVIRONMENT
MAKING COMMUNITY FOOD GARDENS
Water Wise
Photos taken at Success-Mpumelelo-Katleho during training
Rand Water’s Water Wise has adopted two community food gardens in the Sebokeng Township near Vereeniging to help make a difference in local communities.
T
he Tshepong Old Age Centre group was adopted by Water Wise on 27 September 2017. This group consists of six members of ages ranging from 60 to 70 years. The food garden is an extension of their various extramural activities that they partake in to keep healthy. The aim is to help feed people in the centre as well as their family members. Currently, the community has received training that has assisted in upskilling them with the necessary agricultural competencies to maintain successful, waterwise food gardens. Water Wise has been able to put a fence around the garden for security purposes and provide the community with gardening resources.
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The other Sebokeng-based community food garden is the Success-Mpumelelo-Katleho community group, which was established and registered as a non-profit-company in 2018. This community group, with its four members, was adopted by Water Wise on 16 September 2021. There are an additional 15 members, mostly pensioners, who also participate in the company’s activities. The aim of the vegetable garden is to help alleviate hunger in the community by donating vegetables to feeding schemes, as well as selling produce to make a profit and maintain livelihoods. Moreover, the community group entails other extramural activities such as sewing, coal production and the use of
recycled material to create decorative items. Currently, Success-Mpumelelo-Katleho has received gardening resources from Water Wise and is still undergoing training.
WATER WISE FOOD GARDENS In an attempt to alleviate socio-economic issues in Gauteng, while educating the
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