Helen Kilbey
9 January 2008
(Page 2 of 2)
The journey has not been easy. Pat Featherstone, operations director of Soil for Life – the other significant Cape Town-based NGO which has been helping to build the township gardening movement, and which has operated since 2003 – says there have been huge difficulties with projects: "There's so much that goes on in these communities that makes it really difficult to garden... in fact, often it's not about growing food, its about growing people."
Soil for Life is currently placing more and more emphasis on food gardening at home. "With home gardens, there's no transport needed, no hassle… and people want it," says Featherstone. "People see someone's garden and it's beautiful and they want one. The deal is, if you want a home garden, we'll show you how to do it – and then half the produce is [yours], and the other half we'll buy from you."
For many, communal gardens give them something that nothing else can – a sense of community.
"These women are my sisters," says Regina Shiceka of her fellow Fezeka gardeners. "They are like family. If you have a problem, you can come and talk to them and they will help you."
"Before the garden we were sitting in our houses," says Phillipina Ndamane… [Now] the garden is strengthening us; it's why we are here every day. I enjoy this garden…. I will carry on till I die."
An allAfrica team comprising Helen Kilbey (writer and photographer), Zimkhitha Mbunge and Faatimah Hendricks (photographers), Asanda Jezile (videographer) and Verna Rainers (production), compiled this series on township food gardens.
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