Silethithemba garden is located in Roosboom, one of the most disadvantaged suburbs of Ladysmith District, in Kwazulu Natal – South Africa. The garden is attached to a Half Way House, a day care center for unprivileged children, supported by Designing Hope since 2007.
In South Africa, permaculture was introduced several years ago as a solution of development, especially for townships, with the notion of “Door Gardens.” These gardens, which are the size of a door (2m x 1m), are adapted to townships’ suburban housing, which often has 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.
Since 2011, permaculture raised beds have been implemented in a pedagogical garden in this center involving 50 orphan and disadvantaged children.
Since 2016, a new program “One House One Garden” has been helping disadvantaged families to start a vegetable garden. Each month, a family is identified, and the two gardeners of the center help this household to set up a fence, and the first growing raised beds. Regular follow-up is then organised if needed.

A project financed by The Ivory Foundation & the AA Ulmann Fund