Thatu and SEED

Thatu and SEED first collaborated in 2005 with their Sustainable Schools Programme.  This became a revised Organic Classroom Programme in 2008. 

We were delighted to once again be involved with SEED in their new 2010 Western Cape Organic Classroom Programme.

We funded Springdale Primary in their first year [Green Beginnings] of the three year Organic Classroom Programme.

They applied, and were selected, to be one of the 8 schools entering this programme in January 2010.

When Rose Long visited Springdale school in March she found how much progress had been made. The teachers and learners had been involved in the design of the vegetable garden. Windbreaks, indigenous trees and herbs had been planted. The children were being shown how to dig a deep trench which would be filled with cardboard, paper, manure and kitchen waste, and topped with mulch.

       BOOD, THE SEED FACILITATOR                    MULCH AND HORSE MANURE                                               WINDBREAKS CREATED 

The children maintain the gardens, each child having a named plant to care for.

Margery Povall had been able to pay a flying visit to Caravelle School in March 2010 of which Thatu funded the initial development.

She reported that the plant nursery there was flourishing under the care of a community volunteer who was supervising the work of three boys, carefully working with seedlings.

The activities at SEED continue to expand through out the country. One thing they have spent time on centrally is improving their monitoring and evaluation procedures.

In the Cape Flats the garden at Springdale School is forging ahead with ground staff, principal, teachers, parents and soup kitchen chefs all involved. The school employs a gardener full time. The pupils are maintaining and watering the plants they planted. All year they harvested a wide range of vegetables and herbs from ‘one of the windiest and sandiest schools in the Cape Flats’. This has been helped by the construction of yet more windbreaks. The feeding programme culminated in an end of year harvest feast where over 50 pupils were fed with a vegetable stew. Plans for 2011 include the planting of more trees.

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          Vegetable bed                                         Preparing the vegetable stew

We follow SEED's progress with interest. In 2011 Leigh on a visit to London met with Thatu trustees and Transition Town Brixton permaculture gardening enthusiasts to exchange news. And in March 2012 Rose Long visited SEED’s centre at Rochland School and was impressed with the progress and plans for the future.

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