Cultivating a Greener Future Together

Dear GlobalGiving Supporters

As we move into 2026, we’ve taken time to reflect on the past few months and the steady growth across our gardens, schools, and programmes. This has been a season of deepening our impact, improving what we do every day, and creating new opportunities for learning and connection. Here's a look at what we’ve been up to from October through January.

A growing harvest and stronger systems

Our garden team has been working hard over the last six months to improve organic growing techniques and strengthen our planning and soil health. The result is a major increase in what we are able to grow and share. Over the past year, SEED has tripled its monthly harvests. In October, we harvested 131 kilograms, and by November, that grew to 137 kilograms. These vegetables are now shared regularly with two soup kitchens and two primary schools in Mitchells Plain, making a real difference in local food access.

In October, Caradale Primary School was added to our produce donation list. They now receive a weekly organic harvest box, joining Rocklands Primary and others in benefiting directly from what we grow. We hope to expand this further in the months ahead and are also exploring small public sales to help support the sustainability of the gardens.

Connecting with educators and looking to the year ahead

In December, we hosted our end-of-year Teachers’ Workshop and Lunch, bringing together twenty-two educators from Rocklands and Caradale Primary Schools. The Outdoor Classroom team led a space for reflection on the past year, shared insights into how nature-based learning supports the curriculum, and opened a discussion about what’s possible going forward.

We ended the day with a shared vegetarian lunch and a clear vision for 2026. SEED will be supporting the launch of at least five eco-clubs in primary schools on the Cape Flats, expanding opportunities for children to engage with environmental education and community care in a consistent and hands-on way.

Growing our presence through site visits

October was a busy month for visitors. We welcomed a group of Landscape Architecture students from the University of Cape Town for a tour and a medicinal plant workshop. These kinds of visits offer a valuable exchange between formal education and grassroots environmental practice.

On 8 November, SEED hosted its first Community Seed Swap during the Summer Market at Rocklands Primary. This was an extension of our Community Seed Library project launched in September. The event invited community members to bring seeds to exchange, connect over food sovereignty practices, and learn more about local growing and sharing. It was a powerful way to bring the Seed Library to life and spark conversation about community resilience through shared resources.

In January, we hosted 37 PhD students from King’s College London for a half-day tour and lunch. The group visited the gardens, explored our indigenous medicinal plants, and enjoyed a two-course vegetarian meal cooked with ingredients harvested right here on site. These visits bring income to SEED and open up space for sharing stories of local action within a global learning context.

Launching youth internships with SEF

In January, SEED also launched a new partnership with the Social Employment Fund. Through this programme, we are hosting nine youth interns throughout 2026. These young people will participate in all four of SEED’s core trainings and gain real work experience by rotating between our garden team, facilitation team, school support and community programmes. The internship is designed to support skills development, confidence and pathways into the green economy and community development sectors. We are proud to walk alongside these interns as they begin their year with us.

New website live

At the end of November, SEED launched a newly updated website. The revamp was led by Lily, an intern from the University of North Carolina who spent three months with us supporting facilitation and workshops. Lily brought fresh eyes and thoughtful design to the website, helping us better reflect who we are and what we do.

How you can support

If you would like to continue supporting SEED’s work, we would love your support. Every contribution helps us train young people, grow more food, support schools, and strengthen community-led solutions. You can also help by sharing our GlobalGiving project page with friends or networks who care about food, learning and local resilience.

Thank you for helping us sow seeds of hope.

Warm regards
The SEED Team