WORKSHOP ON URBAN MICRO-FARMING AND HIV-AIDS Johannesburg Cape Town, South Africa 15-26 August 2005

SEZENI FOOD GARDEN PROJECT, ART OF LIVING FOUNDATION

By Nyameka Ndashe ART OF LIVING FOUNDATION Cape Town, South Africa

July 2005

INTRODUCTION TO ART OF LIVING FOUNDATION AND THE SEZENI PROJECT Art of Living (AOL) is an international NGO represented in 140 countries throughout the world. Since 2002 AOL is registered as a Non Profit and Public Benefit Organization in South Africa. Art of Living implements programmes that eliminate stress, create a sense of belonging and restore human values such as compassion, non violence, generosity and an ethic of service and caring for all lives. AOL implements innovative projects relating to health, education, sustainable development and conflict resolution. AOL is run almost exclusively by dedicated volunteers. The Sezeni Food Garden Project in Silver City was started in September 2004 and was initiated by the volunteer Nyameka Ndashe, who after having received basic training in food gardens was inspired to start a community food garden in her own neighbourhood Silver City in order to feed the hungry people in her community. As an AIDS orphan, activist and caregiver, she was motivated to help those who were malnourished and having to take strong medication on empty stomachs. The project has been initiated from grassroots level by mobilizing a small group of volunteers and making door to door visits to people that are living with HIV/AIDS assisting them to care for the sick while raising their awareness on the importance of good nutrition and the potential of having a food garden. The primary objective is to create food gardens as local centres for skills development & learning regarding urban agriculture and establish group food gardens in order to uplift communities, challenged by HIV-Aids, unemployment & poverty. Next to food crops, also indigenous flowers, plants and herbs are grown. The food gardens will: Enhance awareness and empowerment to those affected & infected with HIV/AIDS Improve diets and reduce poverty Enhance quality of life of those affected or infected with HIV / AIDS Enhance support from local service providers, NGOs, local & National Government Land was obtained from the Municipality (total 3 hectares in several large plots). Through effective lobbing the support was obtained of the Department of Agriculture that supplied seeds and an application for a container (soup kitchen), water tanks and piping for rainwater collection and irrigation, etcetera is in process. Permaculture provided training on organic farming practices and Art for Living supported organisational development and management skills development. Other organisations supported with fencing materials and compost or manure. The training includes -next to gardening, nutrition education and other skills development (e.g. broidery)- also a relaxing therapy, named Breath Water Sound, as many poor HIV-infected participants are heavily stressed and the breathing therapy -as well as the food gardening- empowers individuals to take responsibility for themselves and ensure a healthy diet by cultivating fresh food. The increasing level of energy within the individuals taking part in the gardening groups, is then utilised to uplift the environment around them

LESSONS LEARNT Up to date 3 community gardens have been established that are all producing organic food to feed those that are hungry in her community. The food produced is used by the participating families and given for free to those households in the community that cannot afford to pay and sold to others for a nominal amount, thereby creating funds that continue to enable her to buy seed for her gardens. The gardens serve as a place of learning for all those who have an interest in fresh food. It forms as a platform to uplift the community and to enhance the quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS. In our approach the basis of each urban agriculture project is the development of each individual. The spark may be there in these communities to undertake food garden projects, however they do not have the level of energy that it takes to see these projects through. Breath Water Sound is a key component and essential tool to bring about the transformation within each individual. The focus of the project with regards to HIV / AIDS is that we focus on the health & development of the individual, rather than the illness. The following benefits have been reported through food gardens in conjunction with Breath Water Sound therapy: Increase in Energy Improved sleeping patterns & mood elevation Decrease in depression Reduction of Stress ( Trigger for opportunistic infections ) Strengthened Immunity ( CD4 Count increases ) Improved overall health & well being Positive Outlook on life We have a mixture of people with positive & negative HIV status working on the project. This ensures, that the persons that are in good health condition, can support the project, when others are too weak to work in the gardens. The project ensures that the food is distributed to the weakest first and then to the affected families, and finally to community / market. Breath Water Sound again, is a valuable tool, to increase the level of energy of those infected and affected by HIV /AIDS.

Production aspects Important crops for HIV-infected persons are spinach & garlic since people suffering with AIDS have a natural craving for spinach & garlic. It satisfies their nutritional needs and is readily available, easy to grow and continues to provide over a period of time. Garlic is useful for mouth & throat thrush. Aloe is another local plant that is extremely useful for skin problems. The introduction of herbs is important in order to treat day to day ailments. Gradually we will introduce organic farming and permaculture techniques. Organizational aspects Community Gardens are often plagued by local politics around land issues and theft of vegetables. It is essential that everyone in the community is on board, supporting the food garden initiative. This can sometimes be a lengthy process; however it is better to have this in place, than experience problems later on down the line. All people working in the community garden should also be encouraged to initiate small gardens in their own homes. This has already started in the Silver City area. A main obstacle in community gardening is the mind set of the poor and HIV-infected people. People in impoverished environments are often looking for quick results and are often not thinking in the direction of food gardening. The community members view gardens as low rank employment. The provision of Breath Water Sound in families affected & infected by HIV, will go along way in getting individuals to take responsibility for themselves and their communities, as well as increasing capacity for developing food gardens, especially when the families are also being educated regarding the value of food gardens & proper nutrition in supporting HIV AIDS affected families, which is essential. Those community members that have a genuine interest to work with food gardens are in the best position to motivate and train the other families to develop food garden projects. The training provided through the food gardens should not be limited to gardening alone but offer various skills development programmes, so that everyone in the community find something of their own interest within the framework of the garden.