Cape Winelands District Municipality  formed a partnership with Department of Water and Forestry (DWAF) and Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), to plant 5000 fruit and indigenous trees in the low cost housing areas in the Cape Winelands District in 2008.

On 16 April, 2008 kulula formally launched Project Green, an initiative to offset the airline's carbon emissions through planting trees through FTFA's National Tree Distribution Programme for disadvantaged schools.

Thanks to Citadel, the organic vegetables growing in the beautifully manicured Permaculture garden of the Masisebenze Comprehensive School in Tembisa are now protected from theft and vandalism. In September 2007, FTFA helped Citadel to facilitate a staff day out to work and attend a Permaculture skills training workshop at the Masisebenze Comprehensive School Permaculture food gardening project as part of their ongoing corporate social investment campaign.

Jody Scheckter, South Africa's only ever Formula 1 champion, is sponsoring 11 000 trees for the Greening of Soweto towards 2010 project. Together with Talk Radio 702, the City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg City Parks, Jody handed over 500 of these trees to residents of Soweto on 1 September 2007. This event also marked the start of Arbor Week 2007. Talk Radio 702 and Johannesburg City Parks sponsored the handover function and 100 VIPs and 500 community members attended. Jody Scheckter, Mayor Amos Masondo, Councilor for the Environment in Gauteng, Prema Naidoo, Mrs Winnie Madikizela Mandela, Miss Earth SA and finalists, Keith Kirsten, Pheladi Gwangwa and other 702 exectives and DJs, City Parks executives and many others joined the residents of wards 36, 44 and 45 to celebrate Arbor Week and the Greening of Soweto through Jody's generous support of Food & Trees for Africa.

Today, the protection of the environment is one of the biggest challenges and concerns the world faces. Striking a balance between economic development and environmental preservation is a problem that all consumers and businesses need to address.

KYOCERA MITA South Africa (KMSA) believes that these issues should go hand in hand and this has led it to calculate its carbon footprint and contribute back to society. As a result, this leading office document management specialist has donated 400 trees to FTFA, enabling KMSA to offset their carbon emissions through The Carbon Standard for the next twelve months.

MultiChoice contacted FTFA early in 2008 to fulfill their Corporate Social Investment Strategy with an environmental initiative that entailed the planting of trees and educating their staff members on the importance and value of them. MultiChoice chose to distribute and plant 61 indigenous trees through the National Tree Distribution Programme at the Ekukhanyesweni Primary School in Alexandra, Johannesburg. Ekukhanyesweni Primary School is located at 330 Phase 2, 6th Avenue in Alexandra. The tree distribution and planting event took place on the 1st of February 2008 on a clear and sunny day.

A few years ago, instead of sending Christmas cards to their clients, Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments planted a number of trees across South Africa. In December 2007 Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments approached FTFA to again plant trees, this time at schools and for those staff members that had taken part in an internal Green Planet Campaign.

The campaign was designed to encourage staff to buy into our efforts to become the leader in South Africa in terms of Green Building development and design. Staff members were asked to carry out two “green” tasks per week for 8 weeks (one home and one office based) and to rate their performance each week. Each staff member that had taken part in the Green Planet Campaign had a tree planted in their name and in March this year 100 trees were distributed to three schools in impoverished areas of Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape respectively.

As a symbol of its ongoing commitment to sustainable environmental practices, PEP is donating 357 trees to schools in the Western Cape and Ekurhuleni. The donation was marked by the planting of the first 30 trees at Uitsig, CL Wilmot and Tygersig Primary in the Western Cape on Thursday 8 May 2008. The project is being managed and implemented by FTFA. The balance of the trees will then be planted in Ekurhuleni and at Nyanga school in the Western Cape through FTFA’s Trees for Homes programme which plants fruit and indigenous trees in townships.

Thanks to the Buffelshoek Trust, a handful of individuals working in the Mdluli Permaculture Project are striving to boost low levels of food security and unemployment. At this time that the world wakes up to the food security emergency more such projects are required.

Fruits Unlimited, a leading South African fruit supply chain manager specialising in the export of top quality fruit, is the first company of its kind in South Africa to offset their carbon emissions by planting trees. In 2007, calculations and an evaluation of the carbon footprint for Fruits Unlimited Exports (Pty) Ltd and Unlimited Logistics (Pty) Ltd, was conducted using the guidelines set by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. These calculations were based on the financial year July 2006 to June 2007 and carbon emissions associated with all business related travel such as flights and rental car transport, as well as electricity, were measured.

“Murray & Roberts is committed to sustainable earnings growth and value creation by supporting the communities within which we operate and by being aware of and minimising the consequences of our undertakings on the environment,” commented Andrew Skudder, Executive, Murray & Roberts Limited. Murray & Roberts Limited heard the call for contributions towards FTFA’s Soweto Greening Project on Talk Radio 702 and generously donated 800 trees toward the Soweto Greening initiative.

"Enviroserv is committed to implementing a quality and environmental system based on accepted international standards and this contribution is in keeping with their social responsibility programme. Enviroserv is working with FTFA to distribute trees through the award winning Trees for Homes programme that will help with carbon offset whilst simultaneously improving the quality of life and the environment for 100 Etwatwa residents,” says Candice Smith, Enviroserv Group Marketing Co-ordinator. FTFA has been working with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM)’s Parks Division to supply thousands of trees to improve the quality of life of the residents by adding value to their housing units, improve food security and environmental management. On 31 October 2007, Enviroserv, leaders in environmentally responsible waste management, added 100 trees to this initiative. Enviroserv has a landfill site at Holfontein and many of the employees at this site live in Etwatwa where these trees were planted.

Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), in partnership with Talk Radio 702 promoted the Soweto Green project on air and on both websites to encourage the South African companies and public to support this initiative. This resulted in many donations including a generous one from Bowman Gilfillan Attorneys who contributed 1 000 trees. Soweto Green is about planting trees to offset carbon and improve the environment of Soweto for citizens and visitors and tcreate a vibrant green settlement.

FTFA faciliated a one day Permaculture food gardening workshop at the Anglican Cathedral in Pretoria, a venue frequently visited by many people for prayers, workshops and meetings.  The selection of this site was therefore to ensure that a permaculture model garden is made accessible to all those visitors.

The workshop was facilitated by Lawrence T. Tshuma who stressed the need and advantages for people to grow their own vegetables instead of buying these.  He also highlighted the work of FTFA nationally in the areas of food security and the environment.

Picture Tree and the family of the late Nicholas Nocker donated 100 trees to the community of Orlando west in Soweto in memory of Nicolas Nocker who died tragically and too young. These 100 trees were planted towards the Soweto Greening project which aims to planting 200 000 indigenous and fruits trees in Soweto by 2011 through FTFAs Trees for Homes programme that provides fruit and/or indigenous trees for homeowners, training for unemployed community members to become community based educators (CBEs), and short term employment for these CBEs who spread awareness of the need for clean and green neighbourhoods, biodiversity, healthy environments and climate change..

The Electoral Commission (IEC) launched the planting of Democracy Trees for its 10th anniversary celebrations. The IEC is aware of its joint responsibility with all other organisations and corporations both nationally and globally to care for the environment. The planting of “democracy trees” at the Makgatho Primary School in Atteridgeville on the 25th of October was the first phase in a five year campaign that will oversee the planting of over 300 000 trees at voting stations countrywide. The project is done in partnership with Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA), the Department of Education and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.

At the heart of Garnier is the fundamental concept of health and care supported by nature. There are three dimensions to this “ take care philosophy:” Take care of yourself, take care of others and take care of the world around you.  Garnier (part of the L’Oreal Paris group in South Africa) has respect for the environment and for the future.  Our consciousness of the world’s limited resources has never been so high.

Ernst & Young approached FTFA for assistance with planting trees in celebration of Arbor Week. Heatherdale and Garlandale Primary Schools in Athlone were chosen to receive 20 trees each.The sandy soil and windy climate of the area where the schools are situated means that vegetation is sparse. The trees planted by Ernst & Young beautify these school environments as well as create shade, reduce soil erosion and unnecessary water runoff, enhance biodiversity and contribute towards reducing carbon emissions.

In celebration of Abor Week 2007 Deloitte decided to plant 100 trees in conjunction with the launch of their Greening Strategy. Deloitte approached FTFA to assist them with the procurement, distribution and roll out of this event. The trees were to be planted through FTFA’s award winning greening programme, Trees for Homes.

Thanks to the De Beers Fund, the residents of Onverwacht, a government housing initiative near Cullinan in the Gauteng Province, received indigenous to improve their quality of life and to green this presently dusty region. Onverwacht has a housing capacity of 300 RDP houses that were constructed between 1999 and 2000.  Half of the population is unemployed and those that do generate an income work primarily at the De Beers Cullinan Diamond Mine or as farm labourers and domestic workers in and around Cullinan town. There has never before been a greening initiative in this settlement.

De Beers hosted a tree-planting ceremony on 6 November to distribute trees to homeowners in Kliptown, Soweto.  De Beers was one of the first companies to work with FTFA on the Carbon Standard programme that was formed to make it easy and affordable for government, individuals, corporations, communities, schools and homes  to offset carbon emissions by planting trees.

Citadel approached FTFA to facilitate an employee day out in a Permaculture Food Garden project as part of their ongoing corporate social investment campaign. Masisibenze in Tembisa was the lucky school to benefit from ‘Reach Out Day’ which not only focused on assisting with the school’s garden project financially but also focused on helping the school through labour provided by Citadel employees. On 28 September 2007, FTFA project officers Ryan Dickey and Busiswa Wawa assisted with the facilitation of a one day workshop at Masisibenze Comprehensive School in Tembisa in collaboration with 50 volunteers from Citadel. Activities included clearing and preparing the garden area, learning about soil, composting, geographical contours of landscape, using A-frames, garden bed types and demarcating swales.

On Saturday the 4th August 2007, Barloworld greened 75 homes in Diepkloof Zone 2, Soweto as part of its Corporate Social Investment scheme. In conjunction with FTFA an additional 75 Barloworld trees were planted in Naledi, also in Soweto a few days later. The trees were distributed through FTFA’s Trees for Homes programme, a highly successful and innovative public greening initiative that contributes nationally and in a visible way to building a new country whilst simultaneously addressing climate change.  Buskaid, a charitable trust that aids young black musicians in South Africa’s informal settlements, entertained home owners collecting their trees.

This year Arbor Week was cause for a double celebration for the Leseding Care Givers, of Hammanskraal, Gauteng.  Not only did they celebrate the value and importance of trees, they also launched the Permaculture food garden that this group of dedicated care givers has worked hard all year to develop, with the training from FTFA, and generous sponsorship from The Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire and the Urban Greening Fund.

Where unemployment is rife in a hot, isolated region of Mpumalanga, a food gardening project is making a difference in the lives of local community members.The Mahlekisana Permaculture Project at Mahlekisana Primary School is in Welverdiend Village on the border of the Ngala Private Game Reserve and Kruger National Park.  The project was initiated in November 2006 with funding from Africa Foundation, through Old Mutual and other donors, and training and development provided by FTFA.

Global Markets, one of three ABN AMRO Business Units that develops products for commercial clients across the globe, ran a Client Survey and selected five participants to nominate one charity to which ABN AMRO would donate EUR 10,000. South Africa’s national greening organization, FTFA, was fortunate to be one of the charities selected by ABN AMRO United Kingdom and with these funds distributed 1 371 indigenous trees to homeowners in Zola, a district of Soweto. As one of the first private companies to partner with FTFA in the Soweto Greening campaign, ABN AMRO also distributed 700 trees to residents in Jabavu during the 2006 Arbor Week to commemorate their 10th anniversary in South Africa.

Talk Radio 702 partnered with FTFA in support of the Soweto Greening Project during this year’s Arbor Week to help raise funds for the campaign via on-air promotions and live broadcasts. “For the past two years, Talk Radio 702 has been involved in greening projects aimed at uplifting previously disadvantaged communities and encouraging people to become self-sufficient,” said Talk Radio 702 station manager, Pheladi Gwangwa.

Film Event Management South Africa’s FilmGoesGreen campaign is a series of initiatives and ideas that were launched in September 2007 to help you and your business lighten your carbon footprint and live a more eco-friendly, greener lifestyle. At only R70 per tree, the tree fund initiative is managed by Film Event Management South Africa in partnership with Food & Trees for Africa. To see how the calculator works and how you can contribute click here. For more information visit www.filmevent.co.za or  contact Kathy English – Brower on +27 21 448 9544.

Following the successful first phase of the Greening of Mpumalanga, FTFA is delighted to announce that they will continue their partnership with the Department of  Agriculture and Land administration, Mpumalanga, to continue this successful project into 2009.This is the first province to recognise the many benefits of greening for poverty alleviation, food security, to address global warming and enhanced environments for residents and apply funding to achieve this. In February 2007 the Premier of Mpumalanga announced the Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga & Tourism Flagship Programme which initiated the Greening of Mpumalanga project, an initiative developed in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Land and Administration (DALA) and FTFA.

The South African Breweries Limited formed a partnership with City of Johannesburg and FTFA, to  plant 3201 fruit and indigenous trees in Cosmo City, a government housing initiative, to the north of Johannesburg, to offset the carbon generated by South African Breweries’ (SAB) central offices. The project is in line with the SAB’s corporate social investment focus areas of social and environmental health.

Pick 'n Pay made good on its commitment to ensuring that its recently-opened Hypermarket in Soweto’s Maponya Mall offsets its carbon emissions. Pick 'n Pay also launched a viral marketing campaign to raise funds for trees during Arbor Week 2008 through its couple of clicks a couple of trees campaign.

Avis in accordance with its pledge “We Try Harder” and new drive towards a greener South Africa offers customers the option of renting the environmentally friendly hybrid, Toyota Prius. A first in South Africa and with a total of 40 vehicles, Avis is leading the way by introducing environmentally friendly travel to the travel and tourism market – at the three main centres of Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Inhabitants of Ivory Park received a green boost on the 5th July 2007 when WesBank and Motorsport South Africa (MSA) distributed 230 trees to the residents of Extension 9 and schools in the Kyalami region of Gauteng. This important event saw WesBank Super Series racing drivers taking a break from the action-packed circuits of the 2007 MSA National Championship League, to plant trees for residents in the under-served northern Ivory Park region. Managed by Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) through its award-winning Trees for Homes programme, the tree-planting ceremony educated and empowered the youth and surrounding community to take care of their environment.

FTFA has been working with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality to supply and deliver 1 metre fruit trees through its award winning Trees for Homes programme. This is the first local government department to set aside a substantial sum in recognition of the many social, environmental and economic benefits of greening.

Potchefstroom aims to lead the way in limiting the greenhouse gases emitted by the City Council, as well as the energy used by the City Council to set an example for their community and the rest of South Africa. The Potchefstroom City Council (PCC) has set an emissions reduction of 10% by 2012. To meet this target the city drafted a Climate Change Action Plan with programmes such as the design and construction of energy efficient buildings, in accordance with the South African Energy and Demand Efficiency Standard, planting a minimum of 15 000 trees to sequestrate CO2, energy efficient streetlights, the recovery of methane from the sewage purification works and retrofitting the airport runway and taxiway. They then approached FTFA to assist with the tree planting project through Trees for Homes to also provide training and skills development and short term employment towards poverty alleviation.

To commemorate its 10th anniversary in South Africa, which coincides with Arbor Week, ABN AMRO marked the day by planting 700 trees in Soweto on Thursday 7 September 2006. Simon Penney, ABN AMRO South African CEO said: “We are delighted to be celebrating our 10th year in this country in a sustainable and meaningful way. Our Corporate Sustainability policy has many pillars but today’s event marks two of them: a commitment to local communities and ABN AMRO’s commitment to climate change – which is one of the greatest threats facing the planet. By planting 700 trees in Soweto, we hope to contribute in a small way to reducing this threat, raising awareness and uplifting our immediate environment and the community we operate in.”

As previously reported in this newsletter and elsewhere, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is offsetting its greenhouse gas emissions by planting trees in poor and underserved communities within the proximity of every one of their 24 offices nationwide. In this manner, PWC is going carbon neutral by planting over 9 000 indigenous trees to offset their generated annual carbon emissions as calculated from each South African office’s electricity consumption and employees’ road and air travel.

The Farm Africa Foundation / Jody Scheckter Lukanyiso Lomtshabe Development Project is a community food gardening project conducted in eight different villages in the district of Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape. Farm Africa has been actively supporting these communities for a number of years. The overall objective of the project is to provide the participants with training in organic practices to assist with sustainable farming activities and to distribute resources that assist with this process. Each community plot is divided into sub-plots, one per project member. An existing and successful part of the project is a micro-lending scheme to assist small-scale farmers and to develop and support household food security in a low-cost and sustainable way.

The South African Social Investment Exchange (SASIX), which provides individuals and corporations with the opportunity to invest in high-performance development projects with measurable outcomes and an evident social return, has raised funding through Cadiz for A Re Direng Care Givers (ARDCG) who approached FTFA for assistance to implement a permaculture food gardening project.

The East Rand Protective Workshop (ERPW), South African Breweries Ltd and FTFA celebrated Earth Day at an event to highlights the theme of Earth Day 2007, “Climate Change Solutions”. “We are very pleased to be involved in this meaningful project, and to be participating in Earth Day from a South African perspective,” said Nicola Jowell of The South African Breweries Ltd.

Educating the youth on “reduce, re-use and recycle” issues is an important step in dealing with litter pollution problems.  It is also a factor in addressing global warming. Highveld Steel, in partnership with Food and Trees for Africa, is in its third year of running the Highveld Sinakekela Imvelo (Caring for the Environment) competition targeting primary schools in Emalahleni as well as the Roossenekal areas.  The competition requires that schools run “clean up” campaigns, collecting waste for recycling or to use in a creative way on an ongoing basis to further the awareness of the importance of recycling. Schools are also encouraged to start food gardens.

Thembinkosi Special School is situated in the informal settlement area of Winnie Mandela Park in Tembisa Johannesburg accommodates learners with special needs, mentally and physically challenged. Late in November 2006, FTFA was requested by Nestlé to assess Thembinkosi Special School to see if a Permaculture food garden would assist the school and its learners and found that the school would greatly benefit and Nestlé agreed to fund the implementation of a 12 month training program to assist in implementing and managing the school Permaculture food garden.

In October last year, the Total Facilities Management Company (TFMC) held what was the first Golf Day in South Africa to take account of climate change. TFMC contacted FTFA to do calculations on the carbon emissions for the day and then donated trees to offset these to the residents of Botshabelo Recreational Park in Mabopane, North West Province. TFMC’s contribution, together with assistance from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, the Tswane Municipality, a local community-based organisation called MADEPRO and the Department of Agriculture, resulted in the distribution of 450 trees to residents in this settlement. Botshabelo Recreational Park is an RDP residential area that consists of well-sized stands, sanitation facilities and access to clean water. But a lack of trees gives little shelter from the sun and dust in this hot, dry area. TFMC and FTFA aimed to address this by planting trees through FTFA’s award-winning Trees for Homes programme, an innovative public greening initiative that contributes nationally and in a visible way to improving quality of life and the environment, whilst addressing climate change.

Johnnic Communications is helping to develop food gardens in the Bohlabela District (formerly Bushbuckridge) in Limpopo. There are 45 PHC clinics in the district, including 2 health centres. Many of these clinics are rolling out the Anti Retroviral programme and are unable to provide these drugs without ensuring that patients have access to healthy and nutritious food which will facilitate the taking of the ARVs and contribute to improved immune systems. Johnnic Communications agreed to support three gardens, Murhotso, Ludlow and Hluvukani, in the area to be developed as centres for training and material assistance.

Judith Mhlauli, marketing and communications director, Barclays Bank South Africa comments, "We continue our commitment to empowering the communities in which we operate and we are committed to continuing and expanding our community investment initiatives." Tlhatlogang School, l3115 B Ntsoro on Roodepoort Road, White City and Jabavu in Soweto Project implemented Permaculture food garden in 2005 with support from Barclays Bank. Project members were taught how to design their gardens, plant trees and mobilize the community.

Following the success of the distribution of 702 trees in Soweto on 9th March 2005, 702 decided to embark on a similar initiative in 2006, this time in Ivory Park. This initiative was the latest in Talk Radio 702’s ongoing efforts to ‘green’ previously disadvantaged areas. It aimed to encourage the community of Ivory Park to plant and nurture trees, as well as educate them on the benefits thereof.

Patanthswana Community Development Centre, situated in a remote settlement called Nebo in Southern Limpopo Province, not far from Jane Furse Hospital , will be starting a permaculture food garden with support from AECI. The community gardeners are mainly unemployed elderly women who are enthusiastic about any assistance that they may receive. Two of them have already attended a Permaculture Design Course at Rustlers Valley in the Eastern Free State.

Under the leadership of Reverend Tsietsi Z. Motaung, Carroll Shaw, a Christian based institution, was started in 1999 when HIV/AIDS programmes were implemented at the Zuurbekom site on the West Rand of Gauteng Province. The project also assists the juveniles from the community who have drug and alcohol abuse problems. The aim is to rehabilitate them at the Carroll Shaw Memorial Center site in Brandvlei and send them back to their families as people with new visions, attitudes and skills.

On the 5th May 2006 Pula-Madibogo Primary School in Mankweng, Limpopo, received acknowledgment and support for their continued efforts in their Permaculture food garden from Amvia who supplied gardening tools and seedlings and Nedbank through FTFA. The day was filled with song, dance and a colourful display from the school?s drum majorettes. The Circuit Manager from the Department of Education, Mr Tupana, was to be the guest speaker for the day but was unfortunately called away to a meeting at the last minute.

ABSA Foundation sponsored three projects focussing on the vulnerable and HIV/Aids. Viljoenskroon Hospice was founded in 1993 and has been actively involved in home based care for terminally ill patients. They aim to improve the quality of the patient?s last days by offering them and their families? home-based compassionate care. When nutritional needs are met and care and counseling is provided, emotional and spiritual support given, HIV/ Aids patients do live longer and discover there is life after being diagnosed HIV positive. A member of Viljoenskroon Hospice is currently attending a Permaculture Design Course and the food gardens have been started and already show great promise.

The East Rand Protective Workshop north of the Johannesburg International Airport in Pomona provides a home for about 100 mentally handicapped adults and serves as a care center. The advent of their permaculture organic food garden, supported by the Urban Greening Fund (a partnership with DWAF, LandCare SA and IERM) has provided new-found opportunities. Wrote MD Naas Ferreira, "We are all speechless at the Workshop.

Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (Pty) Ltd, though its corporate social responsibility programmes, is committed to making positive contributions to communities along the N1 N4 Corridor. Bakwena believes that through enhancing access to a variety of educational opportunities, communities will be empowered to help themselves. Bakwena believes that through enhancing access to a variety of educational opportunities, communities will be empowered to help themselves.

RB Hagart Trust is contributing funding, along with the Urban Greening Fund, Wits University Medical School and others, to the development of food gardens and a training centre at Beziudenhout Park to service the 50 ECDC inner city creches that have volunteered to work on the land. An NGO called Siyakana has been formed to manage the project which is being implemented with a number of partners, including Johannesburg City Parks, Johannesburg Roads Agency and Wits University Medical School's Health Promotion Unit, who will do a study and research paper on the project. It is linked to the University's Early Childhood Development Programme.

The Gauteng Department of Housing has supported the development of food gardens at Peoples Housing Centres in Orange Farm Extension 1, Orange Farm Proper and Kanana, south of Johannesburg, and at Kagiso and Rietvallei in Mogale. Local unemployed people have been trained in the development of organic food gardens, water harvesting and management. All five projects are now harvesting vegetables for consumption and sale. Fruit and indigenous trees were planted, water tanks and fencing erected. Some of the Kagiso project members are HIVE positive and work in Home Based Care.

Frikkie Smit Primary School is a very small school in North West Province , a few kilometers from Skeerpoort, off the R560 on the way to Magaliesburg. Frikkie Smit Primary School will implement a food gardening project with 4 educators, 6 community members and the learners at the school. Swartkop Valley Primary School is about 5 kilometers from Muldersdrift and is a noticeably well run and organised school that has started food gardening and recycling and looks forward to the training and new skills SASOL's support will bring.

The project started at Seroka Clinic where a vegetable garden was developed by predominantly Circle bed mulched  unemployed women and youth in 2004. This area has high levels of unemployment with many relying on pensions. Whilst the communities practice seasonal food planting, this is on a small scale due to severe soil erosion caused by drought, over grazing by livestock, wind and water.

Makhoarane School in Dobsonville, Soweto, funded by Investec, aims to produce vegetables and supplement the school's nutrition feeding scheme and the orphans and vulnerable children who attend the school. The Permaculture project is used for educational purposes for the school and for skills development for interested community members. "I am eating healthy vegetables from the garden thanks to Investec. One day when I am grown up I will put my investments through you guys", said Tumelo Lesedi learner from Makhoarane school. 25 needy children benefitted from the vegetables. An educator had attended a Permaculture Design Course and the motivated headmaster identified another project at a church called Letsema which is currently being developed. "Forward we go, backwards never. We are starting this business no matter what. Thank you Investec for your support!" said Tshepo Thekiso, who attended the course and has now opened an organic gardening business.

This project aims to continue the highly successful development of schools as resource centres to train and support schools and communities in their area with Permaculture food gardening, sustainable natural resource development and nutrition and improved environments and quality of life. Piet N Aphane Senior Secondary School is situated in the Zebediela district in Potgietersrus, Limpopo. The school was established in 1994 and introduced to greening activities by FTFA's EduPlant Programme in 2001. There are 300 learners and 12 teachers. In 2004 the school participated in Greening the Future Mail & Guardian awards in which they received a certificate under the category Not for Profit Organisation Community Based Organisations. They seek to help their surrounding schools with training and resources such as water tanks, tools and plants.

The Nomzamo Permaculture Project is situated in Mamelodi West at 19178 Kubone Street. FTFA originally secured funds to develop and implement Permaculture food garden training, provide tools and equipment for the Nomzamo (meaning "keep on trying") community group on the land next to Morakoma Primary School donated by Kagiso Trust in 1999. This allowed the first group of 35 project members to be trained in sustainable land-use management and produce organic food to feed their families and generate an income from the sale of fresh vegetables. These fantastic gardens supply food for approximately 40 gardeners today and have attracted other sponsors. In 2005 with help from the Robert Niven Trust FTFA purchased three water-tanks, irrigation materials and three stands.

"We wholeheartedly appreciate Deutsche Bank as an institution which involves itself in community empowerment. It goes without saying that the government needs to work hand in hand with the private sectors for the development of African disadvantaged. FTFA shows us the usage and love for the produce. It endeavors to prolong our life span through the usage of the type of foods that we used before the western influence of our style of living," said Mrs M Ndou, Zitikeni. Deutsche Bank Africa Foundation is supporting the development of Permaculture food gardens at Masisebenze Comprehensive School and Zitikeni Secondary School , both in Tembisa, north west of the Johannesburg airport.

Maila Mapitsane Permaculture Project, generally referred to as Ga-Maila is food gardening project sponsored by the De Beers Fund is at a rural settlement lying at the foot of Lulu Mountains in Makhuduthamanga Municipality in the Sekhukhune District of the Limpopo Province . Chopping trees for firewood and overgrazing by livestock have had a cumulative effect causing devastating soil erosion. Unemployment is very high and most of the 24 members of the project are pensioners so food gardening will provide a basic need. Vegetable seedlings were planted in 16 plots measuring 40 x 40 meter plots. A variety of fruit trees (including citrus, mangoes, pecan nuts, avocados) were also planted in all the plots in the garden. Other fruit trees were distributed to the members and the local chief to plant at their homes. Indigenous shade trees were also planted as windbreaks along the fence. Project members were made aware that some of the indigenous trees like water berry will produce fruit for both people and birds, and also that when fully grown can also be used for making poles. Herbs were planted in the garden to help with pest control as well as provide the members with medicines.

Since spring in 2005 the residents of the Far East Bank Extension 8 in Alexandra, one of South Africa's oldest townships, have been developing their gardens. This Greening of Alex is part of the Presidential Alexandra Renewal Project. One hundred and eighty one residents have attended gardening and greening workshops, received door to door gardening advice and have been given trees, shrubs, vegetable and flower seeds and lawn. This is part of a broader process of managing the environment in Alexandra and has contributed to making the community aware of the importance of a clean and healthy environment. The Alexandra Renewal Project recognises that the redevelopment of Alexandra can only be sustainable if residents take ownership of the process and this Greening of Alex project has successfully supported this involvement.