Team News: Roll of Honour NEWSLETTER TO OUR FRIENDS Thank you to all our friends! The diversity and spread of ABALIMI’s friends is the result of 15 Co-ordinating Office Physical Address: years of relationship building. This list covers the reporting period C/o The Business Place Philippi of October 05 – March 06. Cwango Cresent, (Cnr New Eisleben Rd and Lansdowne Rd, NOTE: if there is anyone who should be mentioned, or anyone behind Shoprite Centre)Philippi, 7785 who no longer wishes to be mentioned, we will make amends. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and commitment. NEW tel / fax: 021 371 1653 DONATION CERTIFICATE Every cent is efficiently utilised to deliver results. Audited financial Postal Address: PO Box 44 Observatory, 7935 statements are available on request. Khayelitsha Garden Centre tel / fax: 021 361 3497 PLANT A TREE OR A Ackerman Pick’n Pay Foundation KPMG NO 33 GARDEN IN THE TOWNSHIPS! Australian High Commission Lisa and Max Hopfl ABALIMI Nyanga Garden Centre tel / fax: 021 386 3777 Cape Vegeterian Society Miriam and Michael Gigliotti 015-337 NPO W/Cape suppliers Database No: ABAL001TRW @ Surprise your friends or relatives OCT 2005 - MARCH 2006 email: info abalimi.org.za web: www.abalimi.org.za City of Cape Town LA21 Misereor with a unique present! Dangwen Trust NDA via WC-NACOSA We can issue this certificate for any occasion, Department of Water Affairs and Consortium Dear Friends, in this newsletter to you we would like to present more extensive articles – stories with deeper insights into the lives, thoughts and e. g. to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or Forestry Nedbank in memory of a dear one. We can send it to Abalimi team: (second row from left) Ruby Sigila – Assistant to the Erica Glyn-Jones Oeser N/O Fund problems of the community-based projects we serve, and the people who run them. Also, we would like to honour the Abalimi Fieldworkers – the Management Team, Rob Small – Resource Mobilisation Manager, Eskom Old Mutual you or a person you nominate with the Christina Kaba – Operations Manager, Roland Welte – Financial “hands of Abalimi”, by telling their stories to you. In all of this we see a positive future – a future that is being built by goodwill, collaboration and inscription of your choice. Manager, Nyaniso Matwa – Assistant Field Support Worker, Bridget Famsa Silwood Book Club Impey – Organic Special Advisor; (first row from left) Nolubabalo Feedback Food Redistribution Smith M&S Charitable Trust courageous commitment, no matter what the odds. This is our gift to you. We hope that you will feel renewed, and welcome as a trusted member of See the “Join as a Friend or Mzamo – Bookkeeper, Lovinia Mangcotywa – Field Support Worker, Friends Individual (81) (SEED) Vatiswa Dunjana – Urban Agriculture Fieldworker, Liziwe Stofile – “team Abalimi”. Only together can we continue to do what many consider impossible, small step by small step – transform poverty into prosperity, Donate to Abalimi” form enclosed. Urban Agriculture Fieldworker, Nosisa Merile – Urban Greening Friends International (15) St Ola’s Trust Fieldworker, (sitting) Mandy Qamata – Administrator. Friends Stop Orders (27) Synchronicity Foundation desert into sustainable green. Thank you for everything you do, with sincere regards, Rob Small – Resource Mobilisation Leader. Garden Africa (SEED) Thatu (Kerr SE) (SEED) Green Trust - WWF SA The Cold Chain JDI Foundation Tracker Staff Training: Jen and Hym Rabinowitz US Aid (SEED) Abalimi continues to support its staff in developing Jewish National Fund (SEED) their skills and capacities: Our “Extra Mile” stop-order friends Though few, your impact is great. We feel you should be honoured, Letter of appreciation to all at Abalimi Nolubabalo Mzamo (Bookkeeper) attended a Report Writing Course. but have taken precaution to exclude your initials to protect your URBAN GREENING PROGRAM Hym and Jen Rabinowitz hold an open day every year and sales privacy. of coffee, tea and cakes come to Abalimi. This has amounted to Mandy Qamata, Liziwe Stofile, Vatiswa Dunjana and Bridget Impey many thousands over the years. Hym and Jen also promote the attended a workshop on Quality Control Training at Elsenburg Abrahams Legum work of Abalimi, and here is what they say of us… College, Stellenbosch, which was conducted by HIVOS. Addington Mouton Ashton Mudie “To use a very well used cliché – the work that Abalimi does is Fieldworkers continue attending the Agriplanner Training course Been Muller very close to our hearts; and to quote another cliché, those hearts and will become accredited trainers in due course. CCA Environment (Pty) Ltd Richardson bleed with every destructive fire in the Cape and further afield. Crida Robinson Dawkins Smythe And so, the restorative work, constructive and far reaching, that Special Mentions – Volunteers Euvrard Technical Finishes Abalimi so actively pursues, we see as absolutely vital to health Fife Timms and well being of our environment and society. Julia Troch – SMS Marketing Garber Tullie pilot project Graves Van Essen We feel strongly that much praise is due to them for their Julia arrived from Germany in Green Wilson outstanding contribution to our community. Our contact with November with a marketing Hammer Worthington Smith Abalimi, I think, came through Simon Egert, who in 1993 had degree and offered her services Hodgetts approached Abalimi with the preposition to establish a special to set up a SMS cell phone Tree Planting campaign in the townships. This made one aware marketing system. The system how necessary it was to support Abalimi’s practical ideal, which allows urban agriculture groups is now flourishing through the dedication and direction of all its with excess organic vegetables to personal. SMS through to a central point Notice Board: the quantities of vegetables A list of wishes from the Fieldworkers and office staff: We wish them well in all their future endeavours.” Julia interviewing potential SMS available. The produce can then be Bookshelves – for our new offices in Philippi marketing clients at Matthew collected efficiently and sold on Big enamel pots – to cook our own organic meals at the training Jen and Hym Rabinowitz Goniwe Clinic in Khayelitsha courses to potential buyers, thus saving Carpet – for the Nyanga Garden Centre both time and money. Julia worked until the end of February collecting Vacuum Cleaner – for our new offices in Philippi information from groups and researching various marketing outlets. Fan – to keep cool in the hot months She also volunteered for some backbreaking gardening work at Fridge – for the Nyanga Garden Centre Agora Flats project members during the preparation work on one of the squares (before) and Sophie Matanjana in the same square (after) Fezeka in Guguletu. With her sunny disposition and energetic Weed eater – to keep the garden centre tidy and trimmed approach Julia is very much missed. Chairs – for courses in Khayelitsha and Nyanga Garden Centre AGORA FLATS GREENING PROJECT, Kuyasa, Khayelitsha NOSISA MERILE, Urban Greening Christoph Becher – Fieldworker, all areas. Architectural measurements Change of address? Should your addresses / contact details change, please notify our admin office so we can rectify our mailing list. Agora Flats greening project, which united 5 women from a variety of African origins to green their “Greening changes lives!” Cristoph Becher, a German surroundings, was presented in our last issue under the name of Khanyo project. Abalimi’s Nosisa Cheques should be made out to ABALIMI BEZEKHAYA Merile rejoices that during one of her last follow-up visits she found that the project had impacted student of architecture at the Nosisa Merile has been with Abalimi since 1999, otherwise they are not bankable. its members and the whole neighbourhood more than anticipated. University of Aachen, assisted when she joined the organisation as a volunteer Abalimi voluntarily in January after finishing her 4-year horticulture studies Volunteer Plant Growers Group: Clare Lindner continues All of the five women, who attended her horticultural training in 2004, also became interested in and February. He measured up in South African Technical College. Nosisa to coordinate volunteers who wish to donate plants. Please remember vegetable growing and lately participated in Abalimi’s agricultural training. Supported by Abalimi’s the Greenhouse and Pack Shed we only accept indigenous and non-invasive plants. Contact Clare became a Fieldworker in 2000 and has Fieldworker Liziwe Stofile they have just started preparation work for a community garden at premises and created technical at (021) 671 93 23. contributed to the activities of the organisation Bulumko School. This takes up most of drawings, thus saving us not only with her profound theoretical their time and keeps the formerly thousands of Rands. Thank you, Volunteers are welcome! knowledge but also practical know-how, which unemployed women occupied. They are Cristoph! We welcome all volunteers – for example, there are plenty of she gained during her one-year internship in community gardens who need extra hands on a regular basis to help enthusiastic about their new idea, which Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Christoph during his work in with weeding and other laborious tasks! In particular, we seek self- was inspired by the successful greening the Greenhouse motivated volunteers who are looking to commit for longer periods. of Khanyo streets. The group also wishes Nosisa co-launched Abalimi’s horticultural to turn a big empty abandoned area in training course and has become the principle At the moment, we especially seek the following skills: the middle of the settlement into a green Librarian – to assist us with restructuring our resource library. Fieldworker of its greening programme. She community park and is currently Social impact researcher – to articulate and document the most also successfully implemented a cost-saving idea wrestling with the funding question. Results of our newsletter powerful results of our work. to grow many of Abalimi’s own plants from Drip irrigation specialist – to finalise our field tests and set up a seeds, seedlings and plant divisions involving Sophie Matanjana, the initiator of the and website survey special drip-irrigation training and deployment project. trainees from the horticultural course. The plant Hym Rabinowitz, leading South African potter and anti-apartheid Legal eagles who like to give ongoing pro-bono support (as if it greening in Khanyo, tells that even though In our newsletter No 31 we included a short questionnaire stock grown by the trainees then supplements activist, in his studio was paid for) to highly effective social profit agencies. funding remains unsolved, the vision of concerning the contents and the design of our newsletter and the general Abalimi nursery stock, creating a Highly skilled black professionals who love gardening and nature and the women to improve their environment website. Thank you very much, all of the dozens of respondents, more sustainable re-stocking cycle for the who would love to sit on our Governing Board. is becoming true as more and more We would dearly like to thank the following people for giving us your feedback, we have carefully examined all of your greening programme. answers and comments! neighbours, inspired by the results of for their wonderful donations-in-kind their project, start their own indigenous Nosisa has always enjoyed being in nature and working with plants. She is very satisfied that in Editor: Rob Small gardens. We found her neighbour We are very glad about the positive results from the survey, which Abalimi she is given the opportunity to influence many people’s lives by doing the job she loves. The Volunteer Plant Growers Group organised by Clare Lindner Vusumzi Majebe working in his new reward our efforts to constantly improve our public involvement. Producer: Lina Tolvaisaite “People in townships used to think that greening is only for rich people, but I try to change their for 50 trees which were used in our urban greening projects. beautifully designed garden together with The fact that all of the respondents were satisfied with content of minds, saying that green environment is for everyone. Eventually I see the changes in people’s minds, Photo’s: Rob Small, Lina Tolvaisaite, Nosisa Merile, his grandson Mvuseni. The pensioner is the Abalimi Newsletters ensures us that we provide you with they tend to care more about their environment outside their homes”. Linzi for 45 cement rings which were distributed to our urban relevant information on our activities. What is more, 95% of Amy Rosenthal, Bridget Impey passionate about his new activity as well agriculture projects. as his neighbour, Matthews Bhartman, respondents told us that they liked the newsletter design and would Reports: Lina Tolvaisaite, Rob Small The years of work with the local township people, in which Nosisa observed many social problems, who was enjoying the recently planted not suggest any changes. led to a new idea that she would like to implement in the future. Nosisa noticed that more and Maureen Lawrence for a stove, which was installed in Khayelitscha Design/print: ONEWORD design green lawn in front of his house. Garden Centre and will be used to prepare food for workshops more women from different African origins, Zimbabwean, Nigerian, Angolan and others, are coming We are also happy, that your answers indicate a good quality of our to live in Cape Town, but are mostly isolated from society due to the inability to speak the local and training courses. Mrs Matanjana chuckles when she reveals website: all of you, who had an opportunity to use or check it, language and general distrust and suspiciousness between them and the local women. Nosisa is This Newsletter is designed and printed with the kind support of: that the community plots, which the women found that it provided relevant information and had a nice design. aiming to set up greening projects, which encourage South African women to work with the Mrs Feinhaver for 30 slabs that are very useful for the Khayelitscha greened, have also become an attraction newcomers in order to ease their integration. She is sure that the South Africans would also greatly Garden Centre. for the local people, who often come here The survey showed that most of you came to know Abalimi by benefit from the projects by exchanging experiences on different topics as well as fighting their with their visitors in order to take word of mouth or the newsletter itself. This encourages us to keep The Agora Flats project inspired Vusumzi Majebe, a groundless stereotypes and fears. Rosarium Nursery for 100 trays of seedlings which were used in on our hard work on this important publicity tool and to heartily photographs. neighbour, to green his home environment our urban agriculture projects. thank all of you, who promote the work of Abalimi in your networks. KHAYELITSHA SPECIAL SCHOOL GREENING PROJECT, Khayelitsha MRS SINDISWA MATSHONA’s HOME GARDEN, Khayelitsha Sindiswa Matshona is step-by-step implementing communication skills and profound gardening her dream to motivate Khayelitsha residents to knowledge. Despite her busy schedule Sindiswa improve their environment through greening and supported Abalimi for 6 months spreading one of the means she uses for this purpose is greening ideas door-to-door in her her own flourishing front yard garden. Originally neighbourhood, training the interested, doing coming from Transkei with years of farming demonstrations as well as follow-up consulting. experience Sindiswa kept on working with plants in different commercial nurseries and is currently However, she feels that it is only the beginning employed as a sales expert in DeLaRey nursery. of this challenging work, “I see that many people She laughs when she describes her passion for still don’t understand the purpose of plants, so plants, “When I moved here I used to grab nice they break trees and pull flowers out. I want to wild plants and put them next to my house, explain to them the purpose of gardening and because I missed the nature so much in the sandy nice environment.” In order to do this more township”. effectively she would like to open a community The pupils of Khayelitsha special school enjoy the changes in their school yard garden centre with a nursery where she would There are 300 children with development disorder enthusiastic about the green surrounding”. She adds Abalimi’s Nosisa Merile was surprised by an train and employ several local people to grow problems aged between 6 and 18 attending Khayelitsha that some children got so interested in agricultural unusual green oasis in front of Sindiswa’s home and to sell indigenous plants to the community Special School. The school’s greening project was and horticultural activities that they started gardens at the time she began the first greening activities at reasonable prices. In this way more residents implemented within the Bauwagen (literally translated back home and are considering the opportunity of in this area and invited her to help Abalimi to would afford gardening, it would be easier to as “build-wagon”) partnership between Abalimi/ SEED getting more involved in gardening in the future. encourage people to follow her example. Sindiswa propagate greening ideas and transfer the know- and the Stadtoasen (“City Oases”) NGO of the City Nosisa regrets that she does not have enough gladly accepted Abalimi’s offer as it corresponded how to all the interested. of Aachen in Germany, which was presented in our capacities to comply with the teacher’s request to to her own vision and provided her with newsletter No 31. give lessons about gardening. SEED, however, has necessary resources to approach and motivate Abalimi appreciates its cooperation with Sindiswa already invited the interested teachers to attend the residents, whereas Abalimi benefited from very much and wishes her all the best in realising Abalimi’s Nosisa Merile and SEED’s Mzukisi Zele in their trainings about environmental education (see her close contact to the community, her undertaking. cooperation with two German volunteers soon SEED newsletter insert). turned the sandy surroundings of Khayelitsha Special School into a green oasis. First, an international team conducted a workshop to find out the needs and wishes of the children and the teachers. Based on that, they started a food garden, covered the ground with lawn and indigenous plants, built benches and repaired the playgrounds. Several high beds were built next to the vegetable patch for the learners in wheelchairs to be able to work in as well.

Nosisa tells that the greening project improves the environment, provides vegetables for the school’s soup kitchen and even serves educational purposes. “Children like to work practically in the garden because they have difficulties concentrating in a classroom. Working with vegetables and other plants Mrs Matshona in her flourishing garden, which looked exactly the same as the yard of the neighbouring increases their creativity, so teachers are happy and The food garden house when she moved in

VATISWAURBAN DUNJANA, Urban Agriculture AGRICULTURE Fieldworker, courses on HIV/AIDS nutrition, in which she would especially like MASITHANDANEPROGRAM COMMUNITY GARDEN, Guguletu Nyanga, Guguletu, Philippi areas. to learn how to prepare and combine vegetables to fight the life- “Community building through self empowerment!” threatening illness. Masithandane garden project (its Xhosa name means let’s love each other) was started in 2002 in Guguletu in the dumping place for old Vatiswa Dunjana came to Abalimi as a volunteer in Feb 2003 with Vatiswa adds “Abalimi helps me to be somebody in my family and cars by Christina Madalana and her husband Herban Madala. They lots of gardening skills and passion obtained through her voluntary community, to be respected. It brings me a secure, satisfying life”. decided to transform the dumping ground where violence gardening activities in Quaker Peace Centre. Very successful application Her new activities helped her to contradict a community stereotype often took place into a safe, clean and green community area, which of her previous experiences to Abalimi’s projects led to her of a single mother. Through the new experiences and useful contacts would also help to support its poor members with fresh vegetables. employment as a Fieldworker in just 4 months. Vatiswa counts that in the community as well as governmental institutions she has become For this purpose a project team of their 6 neighbours and 8 since then she has already trained about 370 people: 250 individuals well known and authoritative. Vatiswa tells that she is particularly unemployed people from nearby squatter camps was formed. and community project members and 4 organizational and satisfied that the gained status and skills empower her to address governmental groups each of about 30 participants. She has supported and solve community problems more effectively. In 2003 the Department of Agriculture helped the project to establish various types of gardens: backyard, community and institutional ones, the first contact to Abalimi. Abalimi’s Fieldworker, Vatiswa Dunjana, and is currently busy with 17 micro farming projects. She is very MASIBANBANE COMMUNITY GARDEN trained the project members, all with no previous farming experience, proud of the Fezeka and Masithandane community gardens in at Siyazaka Primary School, Philippi how to produce fresh vegetables. Since then Abalimi has also supported Guguletu, which won the “Female Farmer of the Year” award as the the project with various gardening resources. The success of this best gardens in the Western Cape Province in the year 2005 and The members of Masibanbane community garden were teamed up long-term cooperation and the project members’ effort was soon 2006. by an ex Abalimi Fieldworker Maureen Onceya (who now works for acknowledged as the Masithandane garden won the “Female Farmer the Department of Agriculture). Maureen noticed their beautiful of the Year 2005” award in the category “Top producer for Household home gardens and encouraged the residents to join their forces and Use” in the whole Western Cape province, beating 14 other experiences for the benefit of the whole community in 1999. The participants. principal of the Siyazaka primary school was convinced by this initiative and offered the group a big plot, which they have turned The income and vegetables provided by the project is a great help into a very nice flourishing community garden. The efforts of 6 for the families of its 9 current members, all unemployed or pensioner project members, 5 of them women, were rewarded by the women. They are also happy that through gardening they gained Department of Agriculture, which has already provided them with useful farming skills, improved their nutrition and physical health. The women emphasise the importance of the project to their mental support for three years. As a part of it the team has recently got a health as well: most of the family problems are shared and discussed very needful water tank and tunnels, used to protect the plants. while working in the garden, which is often a place to relax from noise and routine at home. Christina admits that the project has helped the women to develop very close relationships which ensure the necessary support in critical life situations. She is proud that the constantly growing garden not only directly supports the families of the project members but also provides many advantages to the whole community. First of all, Masithandane donates the surplus of organic vegetables to a local old aged home, HIV/ AIDS support group, several crèches, as well as to the poor from the squatter camps. What is more, the project contributes to community building as the people get to know each other while coming to buy vegetables or asking for advice about gardening. The Vatiswa Dunjana consulting Masithandane Community Garden members Masithandane women are very happy to transfer their gardening know-how and to provide seedlings to all those who are interested. Vatiswa enjoys her position very much as it involves many diverse Moreover, the group makes efforts to reduce poverty in the community duties such as assessing the land for the future projects, implementation by hiring unemployed squatters whenever the women need help. and follow-up of gardens, planning the project work, record keeping, training and demonstrations for the project members as well as In order to provide even more support to their needy community caring for the sustainability of the implemented gardens by teaching the project members plan to establish a soup kitchen. The group has them techniques to make their own compost, manure and seedlings. just started the application process to the Department of Social Services in order to get the necessary funds. “Abalimi brings to me a new life”, tells Vatiswa when she describes Maggie Bakeni, Happines Mgweba, Evelina Mzilikazi and Abalimi’s the benefits provided by the organisation. She sees her personal Fieldworker Vatiswa Dunjana are glad to harvest big beautiful broccoli development as one of the biggest achievements. Encouraged by Abalimi she gained many new skills through a variety of courses such Maggie Bakeni, who participated in the project from the very beginning, as the “Agriplanner”, record keeping, report writing, fundraising, tells “a big garden not only provides our families with food, as the project and cooperative management and registration, organic home gardens did, but also with income. I use that to pay my electricity certification, business plan writing etc. Currently Vatiswa is ambitious bills. We also donate vegetables to poor children from the school about getting a driver’s license, which would increase her mobility and sell them to teachers and community members”. Evelina Mzilikazi, and access to the projects, situated in different townships. another project member, who has been involved in sports most of her life and is now a part of old age athletic group, is especially She is also very passionate about a new interesting challenge brought satisfied that in addition to the mentioned benefits, gardening lets to her by Abalimi, which empowers her to address herself to one her exercise in fresh air and keep in shape. The energy and good of the major community problems, HIV/AIDS. Recently the organisation mood, which she gains outdoors, are helpful for her second project encouraged her to attend an HIV/AIDS course in order to become – making traditional Amakhuko art work. a certified trainer to raise people’s awareness about this hot issue. Vatiswa is very glad that it is much easier to access the residents Abalimi’s Fieldworker Vatiswa Dunjana, who has supported the through the networks she made while working with Abalimi and gardeners since 2003, tells that the garden was expanded as the therefore she can perfectly supplement her current schedule with project members learned about different herbs and started to this challenging activity: she has already trained 69 people about cultivate them. She hopes that the group will get funding to realize their plan to establish a soup kitchen, which would be a great help HIV/AIDS, most of them members of her gardening projects. In order Masithandane gardeners and their helpers are proud of the “Female to incorporate both of her duties even more, Vatiswa plans to attend for the community. Farmer of the Year 2005” award LIZIWE STOFILE, Urban Agriculture Fieldworker, Khayelitsha. ESAM ESAKO COMMUNITY GARDEN AT IMPENDULU SCHOOL, Khayelitsha “Breaking the stereotypes!” Esam Esako (“mine and yours”) community garden has been supported by Abalimi with training and Liziwe Stofile has been with Abalimi since resources for more than 3 years and currently unites 11 members. The garden production is not 2001. She was attracted to the organisation only used for the families and neighbours of the members but is also donated to the nearby HIV by her curiosity:“I did not expect that the clinic and poor children of the Impendulu School. sand of the townships could be turned into a flourishing garden which yields nice big Liziwe Stofile, Abalimi’s Fieldworker supporting the garden, is very pleasantly surprised by the cabbages, onions, potatoes and other enthusiasm and activity of the gardeners. In addition to the fact that each of the members cultivate vegetables”. Her successful contribution to an own home garden, by using Abalimi’s networks the group also joined several other projects, which the development of Siyazama, one of keep the former unemployed occupied full time. For example, in association to a nearby poultry Abalimi’s biggest community gardens, project the team members started small home henhouses to raise chickens for food. They also encouraged Liziwe to deepen her farming contribute to the a community henhouse, which provides low priced poultry for the residents. know-how and get involved in gardening full-time. After more than 2 years of helping The second project in which the members got involved is the herbal garden project, organized by Abalimi in busy seasons and working as a the Women for Peace Centre. Within it various herbs are grown in a big community plot and home trainee with experienced staff members, gardens in order to produce medicine and spices. In the Centre the women of Esam Esako learned Liziwe has developed into her current to make different crafts: wine glasses from recycled cider bottles, bead work, sewing and baking. position of Fieldworker. Ntomboxolo Elisabeth Skey, one of the main organizers of the Esam Esako community garden, adds Liziwe is very happy with her job. After being that Abalimi has served the project members as a stepping stone for even more activities. Recently unemployed for a long time she enjoys an the City of Cape Town got familiarized with their beautiful food garden and offered the team to opportunity to develop her personality. She apply their gardening skills to develop a big community park in the suburb of Makaza. The park will names different gardening trainings, not only serve for leisure but also provide the residents with many useful services. One of them is communication and computer courses, a community vegetable garden, for which the Esam Esako team is now responsible. The garden should driving lessons and various other workshops be used not only for vegetable sales but also for transferring farming knowledge and demonstrating which were provided by Abalimi and helped the gardening process for all those interested. Ntomboxolo tells that the team is very enthusiastic her to develop many new skills and about this new project and has capacities. “It is also very important to me already started the necessary that I got a chance to help others without preparation work. having much money, it makes me feel better!” she says. She helps mostly underprivileged people to start new activities by leading the gardening training as well as supporting and following up the Zuziwe Lillian Rotho, another establishment of their home or community gardens. Liziwe also provides fresh vegetables and useful member of Esam Esako, farming advice for her big family, friends and neighbours. mentions that the team is also happy to exchange their Liziwe is especially proud that Abalimi empowered her to break the stereotypes in her community. experiences with other “People here used to think of gardening as a waste of time, as an occupation for old or uneducated gardeners in the Vukunzezele people in rural areas, so they saw no employment possibilities here and were also depreciating my Urban Farmers Association, involvement”, she tells. She remembers that even her family was ashamed of her farming activities. which was established with Abalimi’s support. United forces However, her example of becoming a successful and independent community leader, who is making help the projects to attract many useful contacts and improving many other lives made the local people change their opinions. funding and stick up for other More and more of them reveal that gardening offers good chances for their own businesses. Even common interests. her sister, who was especially skeptical, expressed interest to join one of the community garden groups. Liziwe is glad that urban gardening has been recently recognized by the local Government Mr Gcakasi, Mrs Skey and Mrs Rotho in Esam Esako community and is getting officially supported, thus allowing many more residents to become occupied in this garden with the pupils from interesting field. Impendulu School

LET OUR TRAINED ORGANIC GARDENERS TURN YOUR YARD INTO A HEALTHY FOOD PANTRY! A story of Joyce Nkwali and Hugh Tyrell Since summer 2005 Hugh Tyrell, a professional copywriter and editor, father of two children, has enjoyed picking fresh organic vegetables in his own backyard in Canal Walk, Cape Town. After getting acquainted with the activities of Abalimi, he approached the organisation asking for qualified support to start and maintain his own vegetable garden.

Joyce Nkwali, a leader of Abalimi’s supported Siyazama Community Garden, who was trained by Abalimi and has been involved in organic gardening for 6 years, helped Hugh to realise his undertaking. She set up the plots of spinach, peas, carrots, lettuce and onions, which the family harvests by themselves according to their needs. Thereafter Joyce has maintained the organic garden once per week and has occasionally undertaken such gardening tasks as pruning trees, mowing the grass and cleaning the yard. Joyce is particularly satisfied that she can apply her gardening skills to support a living of her family. The R100 she earns per work day in Hugh’s garden is a great help to buy food and clothes to her 4 children and an unemployed husband.

Hugh is also satisfied with their cooperation “It’s a wonderful idea! It’s great to have fresh organic vegetables and be sure of their quality; and at the same time provide employment for the underprivileged”. He wishes that more residents of Cape Town suburbs would follow his example. Joyce is very enthusiastic about it as well, “I and another 11 women, who are members of Siyazama Community Garden, have the capacity to cultivate more domestic gardens.” After making experience in Hugh’s garden she is sure that the women could also easily undertake a domestic gardener’s position, which has traditionally been men’s occupation, “it’s not difficult, we can do that!”.

The staff of the Umzomhle crèche and the Fieldworker Liziwe Stofile (second left) are glad about the new irrigation system provided by Abalimi Abalimi is glad to contribute to the women’s empowerment as in all UMZOMHLE EDUCARE CENTRE GARDEN, Nosiphiwo Menqe (pictured in the middle), one of the 6 crèche probability Joyce was hired as the first female community gardener to run a domestic vegetable garden for a middle-income household in Khayelitsha employees caring for the garden, adds that donating and selling vegetables to the community members, especially to the Cape Town. Please contact us if you are interested to turn your 55 children from the Umzomhle crèche and the families of its unemployed and the sick ones, has become a very important task backyard into a green organic garden as well! staff are glad about the fresh vegetables provided by their garden for the gardeners as well. This situation and an increasing number every day. Starting from 2003 Abalimi’s Fieldworker Liziwe Stofile of children attending the educare has led to a fast growing demand helped the project members to remove their garden from a small for vegetables. In order to fulfill these needs the project members backyard to the bigger area in front of the crèche and trained plan to enlarge and redesign the farming area. The evident benefits them to manage it professionally. Since then Abalimi has also that the garden provides to the community helped the project supported Umzomhle with follow-up consulting, seeds, seedlings to receive the necessary permission easily. The staff members and other necessary resources. Most recently Abalimi provided now hope that the application for the required funds from the the educare with a drip irrigation system, which helps to save Department of Agriculture will also succeed and they will be able water by keeping up a direct supply to the plants. to expand and develop their beloved garden soon.

THANDUXOLO SUPPORT GROUP GARDEN, Khayelitsha The Group operates from Luvuyo Clinic in Khayelitsha where they have a small, but very productive vegetable garden, produce beautiful woven bags made from recycled plastic bags, beadwork and crochet blankets. Recently the group of senior citizens took part in the Golden Games at Bellville Stadium and come away with several athletics trophies.

Mr Ruga (pictured 2nd from left), the force behind the vegetable garden, definitely has green fingers and has planted a hedge around the garden with cuttings he struck himself. The garden always has a colourful display of flowering plants. After finishing for the day at Luvuyo Clinic Mr Ruga piles everything into his wheel barrow and goes off to his second group garden project Esam Esako, for someone in their 70’s he Members of Thanduxolo Support Group with examples of their puts a lot of younger people to shame. diverse talents Joyce in Hugh’s garden. Team News: Roll of Honour NEWSLETTER TO OUR FRIENDS Thank you to all our friends! The diversity and spread of ABALIMI’s friends is the result of 15 Co-ordinating Office Physical Address: years of relationship building. This list covers the reporting period C/o The Business Place Philippi of October 05 – March 06. Cwango Cresent, (Cnr New Eisleben Rd and Lansdowne Rd, NOTE: if there is anyone who should be mentioned, or anyone behind Shoprite Centre)Philippi, 7785 who no longer wishes to be mentioned, we will make amends. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and commitment. NEW tel / fax: 021 371 1653 DONATION CERTIFICATE Every cent is efficiently utilised to deliver results. Audited financial Postal Address: PO Box 44 Observatory, 7935 statements are available on request. Khayelitsha Garden Centre tel / fax: 021 361 3497 PLANT A TREE OR A Ackerman Pick’n Pay Foundation KPMG NO 33 GARDEN IN THE TOWNSHIPS! Australian High Commission Lisa and Max Hopfl ABALIMI Nyanga Garden Centre tel / fax: 021 386 3777 Cape Vegeterian Society Miriam and Michael Gigliotti 015-337 NPO W/Cape suppliers Database No: ABAL001TRW @ Surprise your friends or relatives OCT 2005 - MARCH 2006 email: info abalimi.org.za web: www.abalimi.org.za City of Cape Town LA21 Misereor with a unique present! Dangwen Trust NDA via WC-NACOSA We can issue this certificate for any occasion, Department of Water Affairs and Consortium Dear Friends, in this newsletter to you we would like to present more extensive articles – stories with deeper insights into the lives, thoughts and e. g. to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or Forestry Nedbank in memory of a dear one. We can send it to Abalimi team: (second row from left) Ruby Sigila – Assistant to the Erica Glyn-Jones Oeser N/O Fund problems of the community-based projects we serve, and the people who run them. Also, we would like to honour the Abalimi Fieldworkers – the Management Team, Rob Small – Resource Mobilisation Manager, Eskom Old Mutual you or a person you nominate with the Christina Kaba – Operations Manager, Roland Welte – Financial “hands of Abalimi”, by telling their stories to you. In all of this we see a positive future – a future that is being built by goodwill, collaboration and inscription of your choice. Manager, Nyaniso Matwa – Assistant Field Support Worker, Bridget Famsa Silwood Book Club Impey – Organic Special Advisor; (first row from left) Nolubabalo Feedback Food Redistribution Smith M&S Charitable Trust courageous commitment, no matter what the odds. This is our gift to you. We hope that you will feel renewed, and welcome as a trusted member of See the “Join as a Friend or Mzamo – Bookkeeper, Lovinia Mangcotywa – Field Support Worker, Friends Individual (81) (SEED) Vatiswa Dunjana – Urban Agriculture Fieldworker, Liziwe Stofile – “team Abalimi”. Only together can we continue to do what many consider impossible, small step by small step – transform poverty into prosperity, Donate to Abalimi” form enclosed. Urban Agriculture Fieldworker, Nosisa Merile – Urban Greening Friends International (15) St Ola’s Trust Fieldworker, (sitting) Mandy Qamata – Administrator. Friends Stop Orders (27) Synchronicity Foundation desert into sustainable green. Thank you for everything you do, with sincere regards, Rob Small – Resource Mobilisation Leader. Garden Africa (SEED) Thatu (Kerr SE) (SEED) Green Trust - WWF SA The Cold Chain JDI Foundation Tracker Staff Training: Jen and Hym Rabinowitz US Aid (SEED) Abalimi continues to support its staff in developing Jewish National Fund (SEED) their skills and capacities: Our “Extra Mile” stop-order friends Though few, your impact is great. We feel you should be honoured, Letter of appreciation to all at Abalimi Nolubabalo Mzamo (Bookkeeper) attended a Report Writing Course. but have taken precaution to exclude your initials to protect your URBAN GREENING PROGRAM Hym and Jen Rabinowitz hold an open day every year and sales privacy. of coffee, tea and cakes come to Abalimi. This has amounted to Mandy Qamata, Liziwe Stofile, Vatiswa Dunjana and Bridget Impey many thousands over the years. Hym and Jen also promote the attended a workshop on Quality Control Training at Elsenburg Abrahams Legum work of Abalimi, and here is what they say of us… College, Stellenbosch, which was conducted by HIVOS. Addington Mouton Ashton Mudie “To use a very well used cliché – the work that Abalimi does is Fieldworkers continue attending the Agriplanner Training course Been Muller very close to our hearts; and to quote another cliché, those hearts and will become accredited trainers in due course. CCA Environment (Pty) Ltd Richardson bleed with every destructive fire in the Cape and further afield. Crida Robinson Dawkins Smythe And so, the restorative work, constructive and far reaching, that Special Mentions – Volunteers Euvrard Technical Finishes Abalimi so actively pursues, we see as absolutely vital to health Fife Timms and well being of our environment and society. Julia Troch – SMS Marketing Garber Tullie pilot project Graves Van Essen We feel strongly that much praise is due to them for their Julia arrived from Germany in Green Wilson outstanding contribution to our community. Our contact with November with a marketing Hammer Worthington Smith Abalimi, I think, came through Simon Egert, who in 1993 had degree and offered her services Hodgetts approached Abalimi with the preposition to establish a special to set up a SMS cell phone Tree Planting campaign in the townships. This made one aware marketing system. The system how necessary it was to support Abalimi’s practical ideal, which allows urban agriculture groups is now flourishing through the dedication and direction of all its with excess organic vegetables to personal. SMS through to a central point Notice Board: the quantities of vegetables A list of wishes from the Fieldworkers and office staff: We wish them well in all their future endeavours.” Julia interviewing potential SMS available. The produce can then be Bookshelves – for our new offices in Philippi marketing clients at Matthew collected efficiently and sold on Big enamel pots – to cook our own organic meals at the training Jen and Hym Rabinowitz Goniwe Clinic in Khayelitsha courses to potential buyers, thus saving Carpet – for the Nyanga Garden Centre both time and money. Julia worked until the end of February collecting Vacuum Cleaner – for our new offices in Philippi information from groups and researching various marketing outlets. Fan – to keep cool in the hot months She also volunteered for some backbreaking gardening work at Fridge – for the Nyanga Garden Centre Agora Flats project members during the preparation work on one of the squares (before) and Sophie Matanjana in the same square (after) Fezeka in Guguletu. With her sunny disposition and energetic Weed eater – to keep the garden centre tidy and trimmed approach Julia is very much missed. Chairs – for courses in Khayelitsha and Nyanga Garden Centre AGORA FLATS GREENING PROJECT, Kuyasa, Khayelitsha NOSISA MERILE, Urban Greening Christoph Becher – Fieldworker, all areas. Architectural measurements Change of address? Should your addresses / contact details change, please notify our admin office so we can rectify our mailing list. Agora Flats greening project, which united 5 women from a variety of African origins to green their “Greening changes lives!” Cristoph Becher, a German surroundings, was presented in our last issue under the name of Khanyo project. Abalimi’s Nosisa Cheques should be made out to ABALIMI BEZEKHAYA Merile rejoices that during one of her last follow-up visits she found that the project had impacted student of architecture at the Nosisa Merile has been with Abalimi since 1999, otherwise they are not bankable. its members and the whole neighbourhood more than anticipated. University of Aachen, assisted when she joined the organisation as a volunteer Abalimi voluntarily in January after finishing her 4-year horticulture studies Volunteer Plant Growers Group: Clare Lindner continues All of the five women, who attended her horticultural training in 2004, also became interested in and February. He measured up in South African Technical College. Nosisa to coordinate volunteers who wish to donate plants. Please remember vegetable growing and lately participated in Abalimi’s agricultural training. Supported by Abalimi’s the Greenhouse and Pack Shed we only accept indigenous and non-invasive plants. Contact Clare became a Fieldworker in 2000 and has Fieldworker Liziwe Stofile they have just started preparation work for a community garden at premises and created technical at (021) 671 93 23. contributed to the activities of the organisation Bulumko School. This takes up most of drawings, thus saving us not only with her profound theoretical their time and keeps the formerly thousands of Rands. Thank you, Volunteers are welcome! knowledge but also practical know-how, which unemployed women occupied. They are Cristoph! We welcome all volunteers – for example, there are plenty of she gained during her one-year internship in community gardens who need extra hands on a regular basis to help enthusiastic about their new idea, which Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Christoph during his work in with weeding and other laborious tasks! In particular, we seek self- was inspired by the successful greening the Greenhouse motivated volunteers who are looking to commit for longer periods. of Khanyo streets. The group also wishes Nosisa co-launched Abalimi’s horticultural to turn a big empty abandoned area in training course and has become the principle At the moment, we especially seek the following skills: the middle of the settlement into a green Librarian – to assist us with restructuring our resource library. Fieldworker of its greening programme. She community park and is currently Social impact researcher – to articulate and document the most also successfully implemented a cost-saving idea wrestling with the funding question. Results of our newsletter powerful results of our work. to grow many of Abalimi’s own plants from Drip irrigation specialist – to finalise our field tests and set up a seeds, seedlings and plant divisions involving Sophie Matanjana, the initiator of the and website survey special drip-irrigation training and deployment project. trainees from the horticultural course. The plant Hym Rabinowitz, leading South African potter and anti-apartheid Legal eagles who like to give ongoing pro-bono support (as if it greening in Khanyo, tells that even though In our newsletter No 31 we included a short questionnaire stock grown by the trainees then supplements activist, in his studio was paid for) to highly effective social profit agencies. funding remains unsolved, the vision of concerning the contents and the design of our newsletter and the general Abalimi nursery stock, creating a Highly skilled black professionals who love gardening and nature and the women to improve their environment website. Thank you very much, all of the dozens of respondents, more sustainable re-stocking cycle for the who would love to sit on our Governing Board. is becoming true as more and more We would dearly like to thank the following people for giving us your feedback, we have carefully examined all of your greening programme. answers and comments! neighbours, inspired by the results of for their wonderful donations-in-kind their project, start their own indigenous Nosisa has always enjoyed being in nature and working with plants. She is very satisfied that in Editor: Rob Small gardens. We found her neighbour We are very glad about the positive results from the survey, which Abalimi she is given the opportunity to influence many people’s lives by doing the job she loves. The Volunteer Plant Growers Group organised by Clare Lindner Vusumzi Majebe working in his new reward our efforts to constantly improve our public involvement. Producer: Lina Tolvaisaite “People in townships used to think that greening is only for rich people, but I try to change their for 50 trees which were used in our urban greening projects. beautifully designed garden together with The fact that all of the respondents were satisfied with content of minds, saying that green environment is for everyone. Eventually I see the changes in people’s minds, Photo’s: Rob Small, Lina Tolvaisaite, Nosisa Merile, his grandson Mvuseni. The pensioner is the Abalimi Newsletters ensures us that we provide you with they tend to care more about their environment outside their homes”. Linzi for 45 cement rings which were distributed to our urban relevant information on our activities. What is more, 95% of Amy Rosenthal, Bridget Impey passionate about his new activity as well agriculture projects. as his neighbour, Matthews Bhartman, respondents told us that they liked the newsletter design and would Reports: Lina Tolvaisaite, Rob Small The years of work with the local township people, in which Nosisa observed many social problems, who was enjoying the recently planted not suggest any changes. led to a new idea that she would like to implement in the future. Nosisa noticed that more and Maureen Lawrence for a stove, which was installed in Khayelitscha Design/print: ONEWORD design green lawn in front of his house. Garden Centre and will be used to prepare food for workshops more women from different African origins, Zimbabwean, Nigerian, Angolan and others, are coming We are also happy, that your answers indicate a good quality of our to live in Cape Town, but are mostly isolated from society due to the inability to speak the local and training courses. Mrs Matanjana chuckles when she reveals website: all of you, who had an opportunity to use or check it, language and general distrust and suspiciousness between them and the local women. Nosisa is This Newsletter is designed and printed with the kind support of: that the community plots, which the women found that it provided relevant information and had a nice design. aiming to set up greening projects, which encourage South African women to work with the Mrs Feinhaver for 30 slabs that are very useful for the Khayelitscha greened, have also become an attraction newcomers in order to ease their integration. She is sure that the South Africans would also greatly Garden Centre. for the local people, who often come here The survey showed that most of you came to know Abalimi by benefit from the projects by exchanging experiences on different topics as well as fighting their with their visitors in order to take word of mouth or the newsletter itself. This encourages us to keep The Agora Flats project inspired Vusumzi Majebe, a groundless stereotypes and fears. Rosarium Nursery for 100 trays of seedlings which were used in on our hard work on this important publicity tool and to heartily photographs. neighbour, to green his home environment our urban agriculture projects. thank all of you, who promote the work of Abalimi in your networks.