SUBSCRIBE
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Health For Mzansi
  • Trending
  • My Health
  • Conversations
    • Podcast
    • Health Heroes
    • TV
  • Grow It
  • My Food
    • Nutrition
    • Recipes
No Result
View All Result
  • Trending
  • My Health
  • Conversations
    • Podcast
    • Health Heroes
    • TV
  • Grow It
  • My Food
    • Nutrition
    • Recipes
No Result
View All Result
Health For Mzansi

Youth working hard to build food jungle in Cape Flats

by Duncan Masiwa
27th May 2022
in Grow It
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
In a community where fatal gun fights claim the lives of young people on the regular, a group of youngsters are taking an activist role in working to change their community and make it a better place. Photo: Supplied/Facebook

In a community where fatal gun fights claim the lives of young people on the regular, a group of youngsters are taking an activist role in working to change their community and make it a better place. Photo: Supplied/Facebook

Feed the Future For Life, an organisation dedicated to planting vegetables & maintaining veggie gardens in local communities like Elsies River in the Western Cape, is inspiring food security and introducing youngsters to the untapped world of agriculture.

In a community where gun violence runs rampant, Geronimo de Klerk (19), his brother Valentino (20) and 13 of their friends started the project to bring hope to their community.

The Feed the Future Garden Project works with youth and communities focusing on valuable education around food and food security. Photo: Supplied/Health For Mzansi

“Growing up in Elsies River is not easy,” De Klerk says. “I mean, while you are supposed to focus on your goals in life, you have to live with what’s happening around you. Once I saw a little girl reading a book on the side of the road while a gun fight had broken out.”

He says that this is normal in his community but this has inspired him and his friends to turn the Cape Flats community into a “food jungle”.

In five different locations you’ll find this group of young men cultivating foods like broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, cucumbers, carrots, basil, Brussels sprouts and even fruit trees.

 “We recognise that a number of communities do not have access to means to feed themselves. They are facing unemployment, dealing with substance abuse and riddled with gang violence and crime.”

“That is why Feed The Future wants to ensure that we can support communities with vegetables as well as indigenous plants that we grow in all our food gardens in Cape Town,” he says.

On a mission to restore hope

Geronimo de Klerk trains youngsters in Elsies River about permaculture and agriculture. Photo: Supplied/ Health For Mzansi

De Klerk and his team aim to create a sustainable platform where people learn to grow their own foods. They have since started veggie gardens at various local primary schools as well.

“If you come to Elsies River, all you hear about is gangsterism, crime and unemployment. If people don’t have something to eat, they are going to steal, this is the reality of the situation,” De Klerk says.

The food activist started his first food garden in 2017. “We live with corruption, people don’t have jobs, there’s no service delivery and they are struggling to survive. I know of people who live in a one-bedroom home with 19 other people. This shouldn’t be happening,” he says.

Food grown in the garden is donated to feeding schemes in the community. “We prefer to focus on feeding schemes because they are able to reach more people than we can and they run seven days a week. Then what we do is create little vegetable boxes for the elderly,” he explains.

The Feed The Future Garden Project also offers training programmes where they teach people how to grow their own food.

“In our schools in the community, food cultivation does not feature anywhere in the curriculum. So, for most people our gardens are their first introduction to agriculture.”

Garden needs helping hand

The group is happy that the community responded well to what they are trying to do. Some could not believe that they could freely harvest from the garden.

A project of this nature, De Klerk says, is not easy. There are many challenges, of which funding is the biggest.

Lyle Esau, one of the Feed The Future Garden Project volunteers getting ready to plant seedlings. Photo: Supplied/Health For Mzansi
Besides being green-fingered young men, these youngsters are also activists in their community. Photo: Supplied/ Health For Mzansi
Geronimo De Klerk. Photo: Facebook

“We have a Facebook page, so we ask for donations and funding mostly through this page. This is how we keep the gardens running. Sometimes people in a faraway area want to support us, but we don’t have transport to collect whatever it is that they want to give us,” he says.

De Klerk says they have big plans for the garden project, but that all of it is tied to finance and support.

Those who are able to donate seedlings, gardening equipment, money or offer agricultural skills training can contact De Klerk via the Feed The Future garden project Facebook page.

ALSO READ: Winter: An ideal time to plant veggies, take stock

Tags: food securityinspirationVegetable garden
Duncan Masiwa

Duncan Masiwa

Related Articles

Turnips, the small root with big benefits
Grow It

Turnips, the small root with big benefits

by Vateka Halile
25th June 2025
Bell peppers
Grow It

Top tips to grow the perfect peppers

by Nicole Ludolph
11th June 2025

Stories

HIV and initiation: Supporting boys through cultural rites
Security fails as gangs target Eastern Cape clinics
Dr Makanya blends spiritual healing with art therapy
Canola oil: A heart-healthy choice for your kitchen
No more pain! Tackle the torment of toothaches
How smoking causes harmful bacteria in your mouth
Discover delicious, healthy dishes that will make your heart sing
Rediscover the joy of creamy pap with chicken livers
No Result
View All Result

Latest

Carnivore diet: Experts warn against meat-only madness
Nutrition

Carnivore diet: Experts warn against meat-only madness

by Vateka Halile
8th July 2025

Think you can thrive on meat alone? Think again! While some praise the carnivore diet for curbing cravings, experts warn...

Read moreDetails

Pill by pill: How addiction nearly destroyed a mother’s life

7th July 2025

Student hunger crisis spurs vital UCT intervention

4th July 2025
Enjoying the sun

Catch the morning sun for better health in winter

3rd July 2025
Achooooo! Tame winter allergies and take back control

Act fast with allergies: Anaphylaxis can be deadly

2nd July 2025
Health For Mzansi

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824

News: hello@healthformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

Awards & Impact
Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy
Copyright

Somagwaza

HIV and initiation: Supporting boys through cultural rites

cropped-scott-webb-yekGLpc3vro-unsplash.jpeg

Security fails as gangs target Eastern Cape clinics

Dr Sinethemba Makanya

Dr Makanya blends spiritual healing with art therapy

Carnivore diet: Experts warn against meat-only madness

Pill by pill: How addiction nearly destroyed a mother’s life

Student hunger crisis spurs vital UCT intervention

Catch the morning sun for better health in winter

Act fast with allergies: Anaphylaxis can be deadly

Tradition meets taste: Goat meat gets a modern twist

error: Content is protected !!
No Result
View All Result
  • Trending
  • My Health
  • Conversations
    • Podcast
    • Health Heroes
    • TV
  • Grow It
  • My Food
    • Nutrition
    • Recipes

© 2021 Health For Mzansi | Farmers For Change Pty (Ltd)

HIV and initiation: Supporting boys through cultural rites Security fails as gangs target Eastern Cape clinics Dr Makanya blends spiritual healing with art therapy Canola oil: A heart-healthy choice for your kitchen No more pain! Tackle the torment of toothaches How smoking causes harmful bacteria in your mouth Discover delicious, healthy dishes that will make your heart sing Rediscover the joy of creamy pap with chicken livers