Pangaea Food Gardening Act Project, South Africa

Saturday morning saw a handful of volunteers arriving at Rietvallei Secondary School in Krugersdorp with the single aim of doing some good in their community.  These volunteers then joined forces with the school pupils and various facilitators to plant vegetable gardens at the school, to help sustain the school’s food program. 

This event was organized by the Pangaea Food Gardening Project, which is a satellite project of the Pangaea Young Explorers Program, whereby young adults from across the globe get the chance to join the South African born explorer Mike Horn on various expeditions as he makes his way from continent to continent during the Pangaea Expedition, a four year environmental expedition around the world.  These Young Explorers are then sent back into their own communities and encouraged to continue with the goal of Pangaea and promote a sustainable way of living among their families, peers and others around them.

This is how the Pangaea Food Gardening Project came into being, as nineteen year old Carlien Wolmarans from South Africa and sixteen year old Simon Straetker from Germany decided to work together and launch a project of their own.  With the help from various Young Explorers and the Mike Horn team, they were able to raise the necessary funds.  From here they collaborated with Food and Trees for Africa, who were able to secure all the plant material and provide expert advice, as well as training for the children.

The day started at 09:00 with a cleanup of the immediate area, as the school grounds were so well kept it only took a few minutes before the real work could start.  Soon every hand was wielding a tool as these young adults worked side-by-side in the lazy winter sun.  Spirits were high as the saying that many hands make light work was proven correct. Within hours the stark landscape was transformed into the promising mounds with its precious cargo. Within a few weeks the school will be able to boast with a menu including lettuce, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, spinach and various fruits and herbs.

The day ended around lunchtime, and the fun continud over a well-earned meal. Armed with a new and very important skill, these young adults are motivated and equipped to continue on the example set by the Pangaea Food Gardening Project.

This project will continue with the planting of vegetable gardens at Just One Child Orphanage in Rietvallei on the 14th of August and an Arbor Week event at Rietvallei Secondary School on the 7th of September, which will include the planting of Spring vegetables and various trees.

For further information, feel free to contact Carlien Wolmarans