Let’s get planting - from Salt River to Soweto
Two pilot community garden projects have allowed UNICEF and Baz Art to invest in the sustainable future of communities across South Africa and empower our vulnerable youth.
When a humanitarian organization looks for opportunities and collaborations to uplift communities and empower children - great things can happen. So, when UNICEF South Africa chose to partner with Baz Art - a local arts organization in Cape Town dedicated to transforming urban spaces - the result was nothing short of creative and inspired.
The objective for the pilot project was simple: promote education around organic food growth and public art in urban spaces.
This aligned with UNICEF South Africa’s vision of “improving the safety and security of adolescents, increasing the participation and civic engagement of adolescents and empowering them to create their own enabling environment and pathway to the future” -Muriel Mafico, UNICEF South Africa Deputy Representative.
Good nutrition forms the foundation for child survival, health and development because well-nourished children are better able to grow and learn, to participate in and contribute to their communities.
From rubbish dump to veggie garden
Tourists to Cape Town don’t usually add the industrial parts of the city to their scenic to-do list.
But a 40-year old rubbish dump in Salt River was exactly the location UNICEF South Africa and Baz Art had in mind for an ambitious community-minded venture. Through this unique collaborative effort, which also included international organizations, Rainbow Warriors and Progress London, this inaugural Safe Parks garden project was launched in February 2020.
Transforming and developing a rubbish dump was an ambitious undertaking, but the local community came on board, playing a vital role in making the gardening project a reality.
The trio of a playground, art and gardening in an under-resourced community is a winning combination, producing a sustainable solution to fighting the effects of malnutrition as well as helping vulnerable youth get off the streets and away from gang influences.
The purpose of the project is to encourage and enable young people to become productive members of society.
From place of protest to organic garden
In March 2020, the collaboration between UNICEF South Africa and Baz Art continued, but this time heading north to Soweto. This iconic destination is rich in history and with a fragmented past, so the location of Freedom Park was significant. Once again partnering with Progress London, the vision of a community food garden and safe space for children was brought to life.
The objective of this community space is to welcome vulnerable children and to ensure the positive development of communities with various social challenges: poverty, unemployment, violence, malnutrition etc.
The adjacent school purchases food from the community garden for the learners, thus enabling them to take nutritious food home to their families and communities. This aligns with UNICEF South Africa’s commitment to providing access to basic health and nutrition and the opportunity for children to grow and thrive.
As the children play in a safe space, they are learning about nature, vegetable gardening and healthy eating habits. Professionals are also on hand to help children talk about any other problems - especially relating to a socio-economic context where child abuse and gender-based violence are prevalent.
From UNICEF South Africa to the children
UNICEF is committed to protecting the rights of every child and to creating tangible solutions to reimagining futures. With the ongoing and generous support from the public, these two community garden pilot projects have enabled UNICEF South Africa to contribute to youth empowerment and social cohesion.
You, too, can be part of this vision. By joining with UNICEF South Africa to help fund and roll out these Safe Parks and community gardens in all provinces, donors become the real heroes in these initiatives. Every pledge to support these programmes helps to reinvent under-resourced communities and sustain initiatives that build into the healthy futures of vulnerable children.
