During South Africa's first hard lockdown the panic around food security for people living on the breadline drove a group of local Knysna professionals to action.
There are too many children and adults in our community who do not have access to sufficient nutritious food on a daily basis. When Growing to Give investigated the impoverished community of Brackenhill- we found that a small group of women, with hardly any income themselves, had started a soup kitchen. They told us that the soup kitchen was initiated because of their concern for the children who were going hungry too often. They also told us that their soup kitchen often lacked access to fresh vegetables The State of the South African Child report by the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund found that 14% of South African children go to bed hungry every night, and 27% of children under the age of three experience stunted growth due to a lack of nutrients and vitamins. Source - The State of The South African Child report by Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. As the Covid 19 pandemic has proved, food parcels are not sustainable as there is no guarantee that they will be regularly available. Source - The State of The South African Child report by Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund As the Covid 19 pandemic has proved, food parcels are not sustainable as there is no guarantee that they will be regularly available.
Against this backdrop we reconsidered short term fundraising and food distribution. after it became apparent that there was a great need for longer term, sustainable solutions to providing nutritious meals on a daily basis.
The Brackenhill Community
The Brakenhill community has two gardens namely, The Brackenhill Soup Kitchen and the Willow Tree Educare Center. The Brackenhill Community takes on greatly to support and as per previous years input we realized that have great “green fingers” and people who can really benefit from more technology training and support.
In the past the Educare center received 10 large grow boxes, 100 bags of compost, seedlings and a secure fence around the Educare’s new garden. Further seedlings were donated to the school and the teachers took part in a workshop on how to make the garden a sustainable source of food security going forward. This Pre-School food garden contributes to feeding 40 children daily. An overhaul of this large food garden was previously in 2020. Fencing was reinforced and secured underground to avoid damage from pigs ravishing the harvests. The Community has replanted and composted the garden twice since inception and has assisted the community and gardeners with ongoing training. This project was recommended by the Rotary Club of Knysna. The soup kitchen contributes to feeding between 50 and 100 adults and children, twice a week.
Other areas were Growing to Give SA is involved are Masithandane in Smutsville and Lukhanyiso are also options op for sponsorship and support.
Growing To Give South Africa
The Growing to Give South Africa was officially established in February 2023 with the objectives of the project to include establishing and sustaining organic community food gardens located in areas vulnerable to food shortage. Sites such as soup kitchens, creches, churches and youth care centres are identified where local community leaders are assisted and trained to maintain and take ownership of the gardens. The beneficiaries are offered gardening and entrepreneurial training in order to turn surplus food produce into revenue streams for themselves.
