Gardening in Alexandra
As part of our efforts to secure food supply and to help build the communities in Alexandra, Bettabets, in collaboration with Rays of Hope, spent the day establishing a fruit and vegetable garden at the Hlayisanani Day Care Centre in Alex, which aims to provide an ongoing supply of fresh organic food that will cater to the children’s daily nutritional needs.
Our team of volunteers from Head Office and Alex Store once again brought the spirit of giving to life with their warmth, joy and endless energy whilst building the vegetable garden. Lerato Nkosi, Bettabets Brand Manager, taught the children about the benefits of growing your own food, how to re-plant (propagate) and how we can recycle everyday household items to grow food from seeds. She says, “I remember saying to my 8-year-old daughter that tomatoes are not from Woolworths while throwing in some seeds and teaching her the powerful knowledge of where vegetables come from.
A few months later I was given the opportunity by Bettabets to teach 3-6 year olds at Hlayisanani Day Care Centre on planting their own vegetables, how to use household goods and plant propagation. It was nothing short of amazing. I watched cute curious faces and little hands planting their own tomato seed with such eagerness!”
Over and above our gardening activity, a generous supply of food, groceries and all the required gardening tools, soil and seedlings were donated to the Centre so they may continue reaping food produce from the garden.
In the words of Audrey Hepburn, “To plant a garden, is to believe in tomorrow.” And we believe that with every small act of kindness and giving, we are helping build a better tomorrow for the people of our communities.
A garden always gives back more than it receives.
