In South Africa, permaculture was introduced several years ago as a development solution especially for townships, with the notion of “Door Gardens.” These gardens, the size of a door (2m x 1m), are adapted to suburban housing from townships, which often have a small fenced plot of a few square meters.
the idea is to create on that small surface a fertile land, using household waste mixed with plants available nearby (leaves, branches, grass …) and to associate crops for maximum performance on a small surface to provide a dietary supplement with fresh vegetables for families throughout the year.
Designing Hope supports the Silethithemba Halfway House since 2007 in Rosboom, one of the most disadvantaged suburb of Ladysmith District, in Kwazulu Natal.
Since 2011, Permaculture raised beds have been implemented in a pedagogical garden in this center.
Like every afternoon, the children of Roosboom’s Half Way House come together for creative activities, sports, and garden maintenance before their meal is served. This afternoon, the children just receive a large envelopped with pictures and drawings made by the … Read More
In Roosboom garden, the hen house is also a place for experimenting biochar. It is mixed with straw on the ground of the shelter. this combination has a double effect: -First, it cleans the henhouse, absorbs liquids, eliminates odors, and … Read More
The children of the center Siletithemba centre in Roosebom, received an envelope from the children of Bercy school in Paris. with a lot of curiosity and excitement, the young people opened the pack addressed to them and discovered letters and … Read More
In the context of the One House One Garden project, the occupants of the Half Way House helped during the construction of the new garden. Fencing, manpower and knowledge in permaculture, every month Designing Hope allows the establishment of a … Read More
Roosboom is located 10km from Ladysmith in Kwazulu Natal. The countryside is dotted with dwellings, and many children sometimes have to walk an hour or more to get to school. Many families have the opportunity to grow a plot of … Read More
A “mandala” garden has been set up in the vegetable garden of Siletithemba center in Roosebom, (KwaZulu Natal), South Africa. Mandala is a Sanskrit word, an ancient Indian language, which means circle. It refers to any diagrams of various forms … Read More
As part of the “One House One Garden” program, Roosboom’s gardeners have set up a new garden on the outskirts of the center. Cardboard was used in addition to carbonaceous organic matter to compensate for the lack of branches and … Read More
Small tour of the garden with the children of the halfway house in Roosboom. The children water the plots and harvest spinach that will complement the lunch that will be served to them.
Daily, the women in charge of the Roosboom halfway house prepare meals for the children. Vegetables from the garden are used to cook the dishes.
On the occasion of the agroforestry training given by APAF in May 2017, a visit was organized to Ladysmith. The children of the Halfway House of Roosboom have set up a nursery and sowed the seeds of fertilizer trees given … Read More
