By Caron Tomblin | Funding Co-ordinator
Dear GlobalGiving Donors
We’re excited to update you on SEED’s progress during the 2nd quarter of 2024. It’s been an incredible journey of growth, hope, and transformation—not only for our green spaces but also for the young people whose lives are being enriched through love, support, and empowerment.
Resilience Training: Building Green Skills
Our Resilience Training focuses on three main areas: Personal resilience, household resilience and financial resilience, followed by a 4-week job shadow experience. In August 2024, we trained 15 participants to build self-awareness and soft skills, alongside practical skills to increase their employability. We are proud to say that our graduates now possess the tools to meet the world’s challenges head-on.
Since completing the training, many graduates have returned to volunteer at SEED, helping in our garden space and boosting production. One standout volunteer, George Arries, now assists daily with composting, tree planting, and general maintenance—clearly demonstrating the skills he acquired during SEED’s resilience training.
First Ever Off-Site Training
In May, we conducted our first off-site training, teaching 20 students from the Social Employment Fund (SEF) in Malmesbury as part of our Organic Gardening Course. This experience not only enriched the participants but also allowed our team to strengthen their bonds during a short team-building retreat. This training also marked our first earned income, which went directly into our sustainability fund.
100 Trees Planted
Thanks to the Department of Fisheries and Forestry, we received 100 Syzygium Cordatum (Waterberry) trees. We planted 65 of these at Rocklands Primary School, with each class planting their own tree on the playground. These trees will provide much-needed shade for future generations. It was a joyful experience for both staff and students—one teacher even shared that it was his first time planting a tree, and it made him feel empowered.
We also planted trees at Caradale Primary, where we’ve recently started our first Outdoor Classroom program. This is a big step toward expanding our impact in the Mitchells Plain area. We even extended the gift to Norma Road Primary, where we helped the new principal, Mr. Sparks, and his students plant trees—another wonderful moment of community connection!
Celebrating Mandela Day
On July 18, despite the cold and rain, SEED staff and students participating in our resilience training took to the streets to share hot soup with passersby in celebration of Mandela Day. This was our first time marking the occasion, and it was truly special. Our garden team harvested vegetables, and Natalie, our cook, made a delicious soup that we served to 125 people! We also visited Rocklands Clinic, sharing soup with community members and
inviting them to visit the SEED site. It was a powerful reminder of how small acts of kindness can bring warmth to a community.
Internship with University of Norway
We had the privilege of hosting Laura Dezor and Magnus Eide from the University of Norway for four months. True to SEED’s welcoming spirit, they were greeted with song and dance and immersed in our Organic Gardening and Applied Permaculture courses. Laura thrived in the permaculture environment, enjoying daily harvests of fresh greens, while Magnus helped refine our social media strategy. Thanks to their contributions, our team has grown stronger, and we said farewell to them with a traditional braai and potjie, filled with veggies from our gardens.
Looking Ahead
As we plan for the next quarter, we’re excited to share a few key highlights. Our annual market in November will offer a platform for our alumni to showcase their small businesses.
We’re also focusing on training young people through our APT and Resilience Courses and are thrilled to welcome our next group of interns from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
We are deeply grateful for your continued support through GlobalGiving. Your generosity empowers individuals and communities through education and sustainable food security initiatives. With your help, we are expanding to another Mitchells Plain school, and we look forward to achieving even more together. Stay tuned for more exciting updates in our next report!
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.
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