Mama Rosie beamed with pride as the first four fruit trees were planted on the plot of her community project in Khayelitsha on Friday, 16 October.
“We are so excited about the trees,” said Mama Rosie who started the Mama Rosie Community Project in 2005. “We live in a squatter camp and these are the first fruit trees in our community!”
Mama Rosie started the community project four years ago when she saw a need to help unemployed people find employment or start their own business. She started by teaching them skills like sewing and painting and over the past four years has helped 26 people. Currently there are 13 people in the programme and last year they started a food garden and are learning how to farm in urban areas at low cost.
The donation of fruit trees are part of the AMERICAN shutters’ green initiative in which they sponsored 100 trees to be planted in disadvantaged communities of the Western Cape. All 100 trees were planted at Mama Rosie’s Community Project.
“Trees are resources we need to actively renew in order to counter climate change and in case of fruit trees, provide a source of food,” said Stephen Palmer, managing director of AMERICAN shutters, specialists in the design, manufacture and installation of custom made wooden adjustable louvre shutters and blinds.
The tree planting was facilitated by Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), a South African social enterprise addressing issues such as greening, climate change action and food security with a strong focus on environmental education and awareness.
“By supporting Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) we have the opportunity to improve how communities live and help increase awareness of the value of trees,” said Palmer.
The food garden was started with the support of HEART; a non-profit organisation provides business solutions for social problems.
“We have introduced the people at Mama Rosie’s to our FoodTent project and potato tyre farming,” said Leigh Reinecke, social marketer from HEART, “FoodTents, also known as makeshift tunnel farming, are made from shade cloth.”
HEART’s FoodTents project offers sustainable, cost-effective, low maintenance solutions to provide those most in need with fresh vegetables on an ongoing basis. A FoodTent is a make-shift tent-like greenhouse which increases the production of vegetables significantly.
“I am impressed by the progress and touched by determination of the people to be self-sustainable,” said Palmer who understands only too well what it takes to build a successful business from a dream. It was his wife, Karina Palmer, a successful interior designer and marketing director of AMERICAN shutter, who had the vision to bring wooden custom made louvre shutters she had seen abroad to South Africa 24 years ago.
“All of us at AMERICAN shutters wish Mama Rosie with this project which we see as being a part of the change we need to see in South Africa.”
For more information about Mama Rosie’s Community Project, or to find out how you could help, contact Mama Rosie on 079 244 7203. For more information on FoodTents by HEART, contact Leigh Reinecke on 021 442 9600. For more information about Food & Trees for Africa, visit www.trees.co.za and for more information about AMERICAN shutters’ visitwww.americanshutters.co.za or call 086 0748883