Funds raised during a recent St Anne's Enviroclub Civvies Day have been used to purchase gardening equipment, vegetable seeds and orange trees for a community garden in Cinderella Park, on the banks of the Baynespruit River. The garden was the brainchild of Mrs Pinky Ramupa after a large stretch of river bank was cleared of aliens by DUCT, the Duzi-uMngeni Conservation Trust. Pinky and one helper, Mr Hussein White, maintain this large vegetable garden themselves.
On 5 September, the St Anne's Enviroclub student leaders, Daniella Negri da Oleggio and Jodi Hulley, together with Mrs Liz Taylor from DUCT and the teachers in charge visited the garden to meet Pinky and Hussein and hand over the donated items. This entailed a drive across a field and then a walk carrying the spades, forks, hoes other equipment and seeds over the railway line and across the Baynespruit River into the informal settlement of Cinderella Park. Daniella then did St Anne's proud with a speech to Pinky and Hussein in isiZulu, before the group toured the garden and river's edge.
The only source of irrigation water for the garden is the Baynespruit River itself, which is highly polluted by industries upstream. The Enviroclub will return to the garden later this year, at which time all the girls will conduct a miniSASS investigation of the water quality, assisted by members of DUCT.
Hilton Build-It generously supplied all the equipment, doubled the order and also donated a wheelbarrow. The extra equipment donated by Build-It will go to another community garden run by the Sobantu Farmers' Association.
The girls were grateful to have fearless St Anne's driver and chaperone, Mr Milton Nyandu, with them as he had to do a fair amount of bundu-bashing and translating. And to all the girls of St Anne's who generously donated money, Pinky thanks you.
Pictured above left: Pinky Ramupa, Jodi Hulley, Daniella Negri da Ollegio and Hussein White.
Pictured on the right: Pinky Ramupa embraces Daniella Negri da Ollegio as the donated equipment os handed over.
News supplied.