Soil for Life empowers communities through sustainable gardening
Craig Dawson of Retreat in his garden, where he finished training with Soil For Life.
Image: Supplied
For almost three decades, Sandy Fortune has been growing more than just vegetables; she has been cultivating skills, health, and hope through Soil for Life.
The local non-profit has been helping communities plant, nurture, and harvest their food for about 25 years, promoting healthier eating and sustainable living.
The current workshop, cycle 1, ran until May. The next gardening cycle starts Monday, August 25, and runs until November, with weekly morning training sessions.
Participants pay a one-time fee of R40, which includes two bags of compost, 12 seed packets, mulch, manure, plants, and a guide booklet, along with four one-on-one visits for personalised support.
Training covers sowing seeds, transplanting seedlings, making compost from kitchen waste, and creating natural pesticides, organic boosters, and fertilizers. Within 49 days, participants can begin harvesting vegetables from their gardens.
The programme changes mindsets, helping families eat healthier, save money, and even generate income. Participants also attend weekly health and wellbeing sessions hosted in different homes and visit the NGO’s head office.
Gardening can be done in tires, tins, or bowls, making use of household waste while producing fresh food. Many graduates have secured jobs at schools thanks to their certification.
Training takes place across various communities, including Retreat, Steenberg, Lavender Hill, and Cafda.For more information on these areas, call trainer Natasha De Leeuw at 072 837 201.
For Delft, Belhar, Mfuleni, and Blue Downs, call Livingstone Muswere at 061 165 8432, and for Portland, Rocklands, and Westridge, call Joy Erasmus at 065 134 9871.
For general enquiries, contact Sandi Fortune at 073 159 2128. Spaces are limited for the August cycle.