Following the success of the Green Futures model, the Grootbos Foundation has embarked on a new training project to further our commitment to developing the local community. Growing the Future is all about food production, and 8 women will be trained per year in the growing of vegetables and fruit, beekeeping and the principles of successful animal husbandry.
Subsistence farming has always been integral to many of the South African cultures, but in recent years, as people have moved from rural areas to the cities in search of work, these skills have started to lapse. This is understandable as most of the people that move to the cities end up living in squatter camps under difficult conditions where arable land is hard to come by. Also, subsistence farming has taken a backseat to the luxuries that can be attained with money. For this reason we have decided to give Growing the Future a Chickens are a vital source of foodcommercial edge, showing how people can provide food, as well as generate income. For example, strawberries can be eaten, but when they are made into jam they can be sold for a profit. It is important to us that the women have some exposure to, and learn the principles behind successful business. This will form a large part of the life skills component of the course, which will also include computer literacy, health education, numeracy and English.
