Wathint' Abafazi

17/07/2023

The Friendly City Comedy Crew is hosting the Mandela Day Funnies event on the 18th July. Wathint' Abafazi will be the beneficiary of any funds raise tomorrow.

If you would like to contribute, here are the details:

Wathint' Abafazi Wathint' Imbokotho
Nedbank
2008351920
Ref: TFCCC_yourname

02/11/2021

Rob Greenfield is one of our favourite people in the sustainable living / environmentally friendly spaces.

Here is his Rainwater Harvesting Guide, with easily implementable strategies for your home.

And if you'd like to gain some practical experience, join us in the garden!

Get in touch: 061 504 2540

https://www.robgreenfield.org/rainwaterharvesting/?fbclid=IwAR2k1zuoMEL8PiykYX41R55XU7UPJ5kah0U8IU1YTdla4fSoIShWFzUmDyM

Is rainwater harvesting illegal? Is it expensive or complicated? The answer is no! This is a guide to harvesting rainwater for beginners!

31/10/2021

We are growing this space into a safe place; a hub of safety, learning and support.

🌱A space where anyone can learn to look after their bodies and the earth through exercise, gardening and quiet contemplation.
🌱Where experts are available to support their learning journey, in maths and science and english and life skills and food gardening and ecoscaping.
🌱A place that people can visit for a chat, a meal maybe or to work out.

The Checkers seedlings were planted on Friday into the beds prepared by Damian from EarthBound. Yes - it was chaotic! Yes - seedlings got stomped on! Yes - they were not all planted properly!

But oh boy - we had fun! And yes - the kids got dirty and their hands were covered in soil. And yes - they are learning! And yes - they are excited to watch their little seedlings grow.

If you would like to contribute in anyway, these are a few of the things you can do:
💰Set up a monthly donation
⏰ Donate some time to help out
🤞Ask to see our wish list and purchase something off that.
👥 Share with your network

Get in touch with Chantal for more details 😉
0615042540

13/10/2021

If you are trying to grow vegetables and are doing nothing about rehabilitating your soil, then I am afraid your success is not sustainable.

The Soil Foodweb School With Dr. Elaine Ingham is hosting a series of webinars this month on the importance of soil. They are free and very valuable.

Video #1 below

Discover the microbial community that makes a healthy soil function and how it can dramatically accelerate your soil regeneration project. In this dynamic we...

10/10/2021

We had a good day yesterday! Thank you so much to everyone of you that helped, especially our regular volunteer gardeners and resident child minder, Thoko Madikane.

And also...
Damian Williams for your time, energy and expertise
Aidan Berry for your generous donation and enthusiasm
Sue Human for your kind heart, generous soul and kid focused activities and donations of clothes
Mark Watts and Tine Joubert for your help, donations of trees and purchases from our shop
David Pittaway for the lovely compost and ideas
Damian and Eloise for your willingness to get involved and time you put in this morning
Manusha Reddy for your donations of kitchen items
Sinazo Ntsangani for your donations - the shoes were a BIG hit

You are all so very much appreciated. We thank you 🧡

08/10/2021

Damian Williams from EarthBound talks us through the actual dimensions of the Organic Sponges, the structure and what the water retention capacity could be.

XHOSA TRANSLATION
Molweni, bahlobo. Ndi ngu Damian, ingcali yezolimo kwa Earthbound Eco.
Sizakuni xelela vetshe namhlanje ngendlela yofuya amanzi kwindawo olima kuyo.
Indlela elula yoycacisa kukba umhlaba onengca olingana ne square metre ufuya amanzi angange 1000litres.
Into yokqala esiyenzayo kukwakha igadi zethu kumhlaba oli qhina.
Umhlaba okwi qhina uwafuya lula amanzi, njemba ubona kule mithyi siyivule kule gadi.
Le mithyi ke yona siyi grhumbe nge ndlela ephikisana neqhina ukuze kunga funxeki amanzi kwi qhina.
Sizawphinda sigrhumbe omnye umthyi ukuze sifumane umhlabe wonyusa igadi.
Emveni koko kuyaw vela indlela entsha yofuya amawaka we litre zamanzi kweza folo. Sihlohle ingca nee nkuni kuzo eza folo
Zona ke zizak nceda ekongezeni ikomposti nobumanzi kwi gadi yakho njenge spontshi esihleli sifumile.
Konke oko kwenzeka kule ndawo ulima kuyo ngaphandle kophosisa amaseko.

Thank you Siphamandla Pyro Gubula for translating this for us.

20/09/2021

We are in the process of installing windbreaks strategically in the garden. For each meter high, a windbreak will provide protection up to 10 metres across.

These geranium cuttings are ideal. They are hardy and easily propagated from cuttings - we literally just stuck them in the ground and gave them some water.

So much of what we are doing in the garden now under the guidance of Damian Williams from EarthBound is part of the long term plan to ensure that the EcoScaping is able to sustain production.

20/09/2021

The concept of an Organic Sponge is being implemented here as part of our EarthBound training. Damian Williams is sharing his expertise with us to install basic infrastructure and other EcoScaping techniques.

We are digging trenches on contour, and filling them with organic matter. These will serve to slow down the progress of water through our site, allowing it to sink into the ground and feed the plants. The trenches in this case act as organic sponges.

XHOSA TRANSLATION [By Siphamandla and NOT Google]

Molweni, bahlobo.. sicela unibonisa umsebenzi esesiw qalile apha, siyaxolisa ngemimoya ephazamisa umboko.

Ezi zifolo besizi grhumbe kule veki iphelileyo. Nankuya noSiphamandla, enkosi kakhulu ndoda nge nkokhelo yakho nobuciko oza nabo.

Siyathemba uSiphamandla uzaytolika ngesiXhosa lemisebenzi siypapashayo. Masiboneni ke indlela esi hlohle ngayo amahlahla nee nkuni kwezi folo.

N**i neenkuni ezizawfunxa ubumanzi kunye namahlahla omileyo azawncedisa kweliphulo. Unintsi lwawo seli qalisa ubolela emhlabeni kuze kwenzeke ikompsti. Intloso yokwenza oku kucothisa umfula wamanzi ohla kweli qhina.

Xa sino phumelela ucothisa umfula wamanzi kweli qhina likule gadi. Singakwazi uphumelela ekongezeni ubumanzi nokufuma bendalo.