Sowing new beginnings. That is what Somerset West Village Garden has been doing for more than a decade by partnering with Thomas House of Hope to run a token-based work programme for homeless adults.
George Maart, hands buried in the soil, demonstrates the healing power of gardening that Findlay champions. Photo: Barend Williams
However, the real harvest comes when participants can turn their skills into sustainable employment.
“That whole process of seeing plants grow, the green and working with your hands in the soil, is very healing,” says Jenny Findlay, founder and director of Somerset West Village Garden.
The well-known garden in New Street is tended to by residents from Thomas House of Hope, an NPO that works with homeless people in the area.
Participants sow seeds, prepare beds and harvest vegetables. Instead of money, they receive tokens to access services including help obtaining identity documents.
“We want to give them a hand up and not a handout,” says Findlay.
The three-month programme aims to create sustainable pathways out of homelessness. However, a significant challenge remains – finding job placements for graduates.
Christopher Mroji, one of the participants, hopes his work in the garden will prove to the community that he is employable.
“This is voluntary [tending the garden], but if someone gives us a job we won’t need to live on the street,” he says.
Christopher Mroji rakes the soil at Somerset West Village Garden, hoping his work will lead to employment. Photo: Barend Williams
Bevan Alloys, general manager of Thomas House, says Mroji’s attitude contradicts misconceptions about homeless people.
“We are trying to create awareness that homeless people’s lives matter as well and that instead of labelling them as street people, the community should rally around them,” says Alloys.
Findlay emphasises that earning even a small income would significantly impact participants’ dignity and commitment to working, giving them a platform to integrate back into society.
Thomas House of Hope participants at work in Somerset West Village Garden, where they earn tokens while building pathways out of homelessness. Photo: Barend Williams
The organisations are appealing to the community to offer employment opportunities to programme graduates, even starting with stipends rather than full salaries, to help build their work experience and CVs.
For more information on how to get involved, phone Alloys on 074 785 9979.
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