- Rouxville Primary School’s Environmental Club, led by Grade 6 head Almaré van Zyl, has been teaching learners about sustainability and organic farming since May last year.
- The club, which includes learners from Grades 4 to 7, meets twice weekly to plant, compost, and work with recycled materials.
- The initiative aims to expand their garden and eventually sell produce to the community, reinvesting the money into the garden.
It is not only vegetables and herbs growing in the expanding garden beds at Rouxville Primary but also knowledge.
Grade 6 head in charge of the school’s Environmental committee, Almaré van Zyl, says it all started last year May with an initiative to teach the grade 6 learners about sustainability and growing one’s own food.
The school’s environmental club now includes learners from Grades 4, 5, and 7 (the intermediate phase). The club meets twice weekly after school. Getting hands dirty is part of the fun.
Van Zyl says things started with plenty of help and knowledge from Alex Duff of Food Basket for Africa who once was a farmer in Zimbabwe. The children were interested from the get-go and excited to start planting – and eventually harvesting, she says.
Though they are not there yet, they aim to provide produce to sell to the community. “The money will go back into the garden.”
Van Zyl says everything is done organically. “We don’t kill anything. They learn to work with nature.” Besides vegetables and herbs, they also plant plants to assist with pollination or deterring pests.
There are several long-term goals such as putting up tunnels and exploring aquaponics.
“Soneike High School got involved about two months ago. They assist with the new expanded beds at the back of the school.”
The children also learn to make compost. “We started a zero-waste programme at the school. The learners put all organic waste in bins, and it goes back into the soil. Paper and plastics are recycled, and wrappers are used for eco-bricks.”
Van Zyl says when their harvests expand, she would love to teach the learners about making pesto and preserves.
Recently the Grade 4s whose curriculum includes sustainable farming were out in the garden to see how it all works. “The children love this integrated teaching and visual learning,” says Van Zyl.
