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.
Each month, canned tomatoes and red beans are used for children’s meals. The metal of the cans, laid flat, was used as wall for the chicken coop, studded on a wooden frame. the roof was made of wood, to isolate … Read More
At Roosboom Garden, the children started 2 new culture beds to compare the impact of biochar on crops. The first bed was cultivated with biochar imbibed with vermicompost, and the second one was incorporated dry in the culture plates. In … Read More
With an international volunteer (Peace Corps) in place for 2 years in Roosboom, Designing Hope has developed a recipe book inspired by traditional meals. Recipes are selected based on the vegetables they use, and the ability to produce them in … Read More
The first moringa seedlings are beginning to sprout. Culture of Moringa is very interesting because it is a plant with many properties and important nutritional values. In fact moringa leaves are richer in vitamins, minerals and proteins than most vegetables. … Read More
Designing Hope has produced, with the support of The Ivory Foundation, an illustrated brochure presenting the techniques of permaculture. This document addresses several topics, the creation of raised beds, crops rotation, crops associations, with a focus on milpa, compost… This … Read More
Children can enjoy every day a hot meal that uses some fresh vegetables they grow in the pilot garden.
Roosboom has been depending for years on a large tank of communal water, randomly refilled. This has led often to shortage of water, challenging the garden, specially during dry season. Designing Hope invested in a piping system to bring water from … Read More
The children of Roosboom work together and create new raised beds.
Children from Roosboom showing their milpa plot, combining maize, squash and beans.
Canned red beans are used for the daily meals cooked to the children of Roosboom. The children were asked to retrieve the empty boxes, flatten them to form a recovery material to make the walls of a henhouse. Women then … Read More
