Kisses That Count

Organic Community Gardens - create 3 food gardens in Primary schools & a clinic

Help create organic gardens to supply nutrious food to school children and HIV patients. 

Child malnourishment is widespread in the townships of Port Elizabeth, especially for orphaned and vulnerable children. Ubuntu has launched a nutrition component to develop community gardens to assist in both food provision and income generation for these vulnerable households. Ubuntu develops organic permaculture food gardens on primary school grounds, health clinics, in community member's backyards and at our headquarters.  A team of parents, teachers and students is extensively trained in establishing and maintaining the organic gardens.

One of the primary goals of the garden initiative is to provide a daily lunch for vulnerable children at each school. The gardening teams are trained in food preparation, and prepare the nutritious vegetable stew for 300 hungry learners at each school. Of the garden harvest, 70% is directed to feeding the children of the school and 10% of its weekly produce is sold at market to generate revenue that will help maintain the garden. The final 20% is allocated to the parents responsible for the garden, thus creating a small income.  Their garden located at Ubuntu headquarters provides fresh produce to HIV positive participants in their counselling program and women’s support group.