Zimconserve Permaculture Resource Centre

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We are excited to share an update from the Zimconserve Permaculture Resource Centre, where a simple idea is changing how rural communities grow their food.

Turning waste into a lifeline

Plastic bottles are one of the most visible forms of waste in Zimbabwe. They litter roadsides, block drains and pollute our rivers. At our permaculture centre we saw them differently: as building material. With the support of our donors, we have built greenhouses almost entirely from recycled plastic bottles, set on locally made timber frames. To our knowledge, this is the first project of its kind in Zimbabwe.

The bottle walls and roof let sunlight through while protecting crops from harsh sun, wind, pests and heavy rain. Inside, raised beds now produce leafy greens, covo, lettuce, spinach and other vegetables that feed families in the surrounding rural community. Every greenhouse also removes thousands of bottles from the environment.

Recognition from the 1% for Development Fund

We are proud that members of the 1% for Development Fund chose to fund this work. They were especially impressed by the ingenuity of using a waste product to build greenhouses that put food on the table for rural families. Their support has shown us that this model can work, and that it deserves to grow.

What we have achieved

• Built bottle greenhouses at the permaculture centre using recycled plastic collected from the community
• Established productive raised vegetable beds, providing fresh, nutritious food year-round
• Trained community members in greenhouse construction, organic growing and water-wise gardening
• Raised awareness about plastic waste and how it can be reused productively

Our next steps, and how you can help

To protect what we have built and expand our impact, our most urgent need is fencing the centre. A secure fence will protect crops and infrastructure from livestock and theft, and allow us to safely add new projects:

• Fish farming, providing protein and an extra income source for families
• Mushroom farming, a low-cost, high-value crop well suited to small spaces
• Classrooms, so we can train many more farmers in permaculture, greenhouse building and sustainable food production, and spread this model to other rural communities

Every contribution makes a difference

No gift is too small. Any amount you give brings us closer to a fenced, expanded centre that can feed more families, create livelihoods and train the next generation of farmers, all while cleaning up our environment.
Thank you for believing in ZimConserve. Together, we are proving that waste can become a resource and that rural communities can lead the way to a greener, more food-secure Zimbabwe.

With gratitude,

The Zimconserve Permaculture Resource Centre Team