HSBC formed a partnership with Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) in 2007 and has since supported the development of a food garden in Orange Farm, Trees for Homes for staff birthdays in Alexandra, contributed to the greening of communities and has offset their carbon emissions for the British and Irish Lions tour in South Africa through the National Tree Distribution Programme.
A request was received from HSBC to assess the SOS Children’s Village in Ennerdale, Lenasia South to develop a Permaculture food garden for the orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) as well as the surrounding community. HSBC made funds available for the development of the SOS Permaculture food garden project as an extension of the family strengthening programme over twelve months from August of 2008. HSBC has been sponsoring food parcels to the needy families, mostly the children headed homes, especially those who have lost their parents through HIV/AIDS, TB and other related diseases.
FTFA conducted 27 Permaculture practical and 3-day medicinal workshops for project members. The Permaculture workshops enabled the project members to apply Permaculture design tools to their landscape. Garden design and layout, soil preparation, water harvesting and conservation techniques, crop rotation, inter-planting, soil management, project accountability and sustainability and pest and disease control were all taught from a theoretical perspective and then demonstrated and practiced on the land. The workshops provided project members with tools that gave them confidence and facilitated their taking ownership of the Permaculture food garden project.
In March 2009 all project members attended a 3-day medicinal and herb workshop conducted by Khanya Africa Development Services. Community members from far and wide were invited to join in for this training during which a herb garden was designed and planted). Khanya Africa taught of the value of herbs in the family home, indicating combinations that would sooth a variety of ailments. All participants came away with some valuable knowledge with all being greatly impressed, leaving with further knowledge of the potential of their gardens.
The project members use the vegetables and herbs from the Permaculture food garden to feed their families. The local community members regularly flock to the project to purchase fresh naturally grown vegetables and herbs. The surplus vegetables, generally, are sold to the local community members with some being donated to the orphans and vulnerable children at the SOS village. The diets of the project members’ families and the orphans at the village have improved tremendously and are far more balanced than they were previously. The vegetables and herbs are also assisting by providing immune compromised community members with the nourishment needed to boost and strengthen these compromised systems.
Dear Mark Lewis
On behalf of Marine Primary School I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Absa for the training, tools, fertilizer, plants you have sponsored for us through Food & Trees for Africa.
We are extremely grateful for your support, which is helping us to produce the vegetables necessary for our soup kitchen.
The school is a poverty stricken area rife with drug and alcohol abuse with its associated evils. Learners come to school emaciated and neglected and look to us for sustenance, and attention.
My wife Doreen and I have established the Marine Environmental Club through which means we take learners on hikes, and camps to :
Install in the learners a love for nature.
Show them an alternative lifestyle.
Take them out of their disusual surroundings and try to teach then the value of a clean life.
Teach them sustainable way of food production and how to be self sufficient.
We hope that you will visit us in the near future to see the results of your generous contribution to our project.
Thank you
Yours Sincerely
Mr. M. Petersen + Mrs. D. Petersen co-ordinators of the Marine Primary Environmental Club and “Soup” garden.