Garden Africa urgently needs your support - to find out why please read on below.
If you are able to support me raising money for GA - your cash will make a real difference. It's now worryingly close to the race - I'll be keeping this page updated with tales of my training......
So far.......
* Joined London Heathside running club - discovered how much easier it is to run yourself into knots of pain thanks to these folks!
* Took the plunge and got some personal training - which does wonders for all the niggly injuries those guys from Heathside cause
* Run 3 half marathons this year already - and now comfortably training at 12-13 miles for my weekly long run - now that's going up to 14 miles on Sunday and (sob) 18 miles on my birthday!
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Over the past 18 months GardenAfrica has been working with local training organisations in Swaziland to promote and support sustainable food production through the establishment of home-based gardens and micro-nurseries across some of the most vulnerable communities in rural Swaziland. All our graduates now fly a green flag outside their homesteads - demonstrating to others in their community that they have food, seed and trees for sale from their home-based nurseries, and skills to share freely. The idea behind this is that the more people they teach, the more demand there will be for their goods and services. Orphans are being fed, plant-based livelihoods are blossoming, and more gardens are already springing up using the same resource conservation techniques, even in the most drought prone areas.
The results of our pilot have been so successful that we have received funds from the EU to extend the programme to a further six communities. This funding is already supporting the training of a further two intakes of rural gardeners in cultivation, natural resource management, nursery development and business skills. Over the next three years, our 75 graduates will support the establishment of around 1,500 more home gardens, with advice, and supplies from their nurseries. At an average of eight people per homestead, this produce will support the nutritional and healthcare needs of around 12,000 people.
And this is where our appeal becomes ever more urgent.
The continuation of this vital funding is dependent upon GardenAfrica raising a percentage of the budget. While last year this would not have presented a problem to GardenAfrica, this year looks altogether different – with the recession severely affecting our traditional sources of income.
Repayment of this grant would jeopardise both GardenAfrica and its local partner. Vusumnotfo currently serves 18 rural communities (40,000 people), and GardenAfrica has activities in four countries in Southern Africa – all of which are now under threat.
As the only organisation specialising in horticulture in sub-Saharan Africa as a means of addressing poverty and poor health, GardenAfrica offers a unique opportunity for fellow gardeners to support initiatives close to their hearts (and stomachs).
For more information on GardenAfrica's vital work visit www.gardenafrica.org.uk.
