Local Projects
Gardens of Hope
With the support of a Grant from DP World, Roots & Shoots South Africa worked with 120 primary school students and 12 university student volunteers to create and support three sustainable food gardens in schools in the communities of Kanyamazane, Kabokweni and Msholozi in Mpumalanga.
Over 40+ workshops, in which students actively helped create the gardens, connected growing food with broader environmental and conservation issues, including climate change, animal welfare, indigenous crops, soil health, and biodiversity.
The food gardens support feeding schemes at the schools and vulnerable families. Students also gained skills in saving seeds, planting and composting to grow gardens at home.
Thanks to funding from DP World, schools were provided with sustainable upgrades to water infrastructure, tools and materials to create the gardens.
“The project really succeeded in getting learners involved and excited. They weren't just watching, they were digging, planting, and asking questions. Before, I thought of environmental action as big and distant, but now I see that small gardens at schools can teach kids about sustainability, food security, and teamwork. Its change from the ground up."
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- Tintsoalo Mazibila
University of Mpumalanga Roots & Shoots Volunteer
Sustainable
Chimp Eden
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We work closely with the sanctuary to support environmental and animal welfare education, and the sustainability of everyday operations, with recycling, composting, an organic food garden and tree-planting efforts.
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Roots & Shoots South Africa's offices are based at the Jane Goodall Institute's Chimp Eden Sanctuary, home to 33 rescued chimpanzees.
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Roots & Shoots groups around South Africa work hard to pick up litter, plant indigenous trees and clear alien invasive vegetation, helping animals and the environment in ecosystems around them.
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Many volunteers are also active in nature-focused citizen science projects, like bioblitzes and recording biodiversity on iNaturalist.
Ecosystem Restoration and Community Clean Ups
Read more about Roots & Shoots South Africa's Impact
Ecobricks
Every year, Roots & Shoots volunteers and members in Gauteng make hundreds of ecobricks, using plastic that would otherwise be thrown away to create sustainable building materials. In partnership with The Earthly Touch Foundation, we have helped to create classrooms and after-school education centres made of ecobricks in Diepsloot.
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If you'd like to make ecobricks, you can find out more here. Bricks must weigh at least 550 g to be used in buildings. You can drop off finished bricks at Jackson's Real Food Market in Bryanston and Kyalami, and they'll be taken to Diepsloot.
