Volunteerism benefits Alexandra Township school

"We already have an association with the school's eco club, through sponsorship of vegetable garden tunnels and arboretums. Delicious Difference Week is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen this relationship in conjunction with WESSA, which is involved with education and awareness of sustainability principles and protection of the environment," said Pat Senne, corporate affairs and communications director for Kraft Foods' Sub Saharan Africa region.

Over 70 employees worked across three main activities. One team rolled up their sleeves to help dig a vegetable garden tunnel, adding to the two that the company installed at the school last year. Recognising the need for food security and access to adequate nutrition, the hydroponic tunnels are not only easy to install and maintain but they can also produce a range of crops - including spinach, tomatoes, peppers and spring onions - quickly and easily. Produce is then used in the making of nutritious school meals or sold to the local Alexandra community.

Another team assisted in the installation of a solar cooker, which can reach temperatures of 2000 C on a hot day. Also easy to assemble, the cooker has a 15-year lifespan making it a cost-effective, environmentally friendly and sustainable energy source. Capable of cooking food for around 15 to 30 people at a time, the solar cooker will be used to prepare learners' lunches.

The third group helped to install an inexpensive rainwater-harvesting tank - to capture rainwater from the school's roof. As Alexandra does not have a reliable water supply, the tank is welcome. With a capacity of 5000 litres, the recycled water will be used to irrigate the hydroponic vegetable tunnels and the school's gardens, promoting efficient use of one of the country's most precious resources.

Thanking the two organisations, principal of Kwabhekilanga Secondary School, Jubere Selowa, said that the contribution would benefit not only the school but the Alexandra community at large. "Many of our learners come from poor backgrounds and often don't have space for gardens at their homes. So the produce from the school's vegetable gardens will ensure that they have access to nutritious food." Selowa added that some of the learners who do have garden space have replicated the concept at home and are now growing their own vitamin-rich vegetables.

Delicious Difference Week activities are also taking place at other company sites around the country. Employees from the chocolate manufacturing plant in Port Elizabeth will be involved in a variety of activities among the Uitenhage, Bloemendal and Motherwell communities. They include installing a vegetable garden and water tank at the Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities (APD) Care Centre; running two community soup kitchens serving around 200 people each and distributing children's nutritional packs. In Durban, employees from one of Kraft Foods' sales offices will be involved in activities at the Highway Hospice, with which it has a long association.