Supporting local communities by empowering and teaching families to grow nutritious vegetables.
A study undertaken by Wits University within Diepsloot found that most of its children suffer from stunted growth, largely caused by malnutrition and a lack of fresh vegetables in their diets. Cherith Projects has established an allotment and six vegetable gardens on the grounds of the creches they support. This ensures that the children receive fresh vegetables to supplement the processed food they receive daily, such as pap. Regular training on best practice for growing vegetables is provided for residents in the community. Lasher Tools has donated gardening tools for use in the allotments and vegetable gardens.
Plans for 2026
1. Plans for Allotments
A large allotment garden comprising 32 beds (6m x 500mm) has been established in Diepsloot. Each bed is allotted to older members of the community or ‘Gogos’, who plant their own vegetables and are responsible for overseeing their growth and harvest. Whatever they don’t consume for their own use, they are entitled to sell in order to generate an small income for themselves. A large storage tank placed on a hill overlooking the allotment supplies water via pipes to the garden beds.
Cherith Projects provides compost, landscapers’ garden mix as well as vegetable seedlings procured directly from major vegetable farms.
2. Terraced Gardens
Terraced gardens have been created on the side of the Vineyard Creche along an embankment that consisted of sand, loose bricks, and stones. Retaining walls had to be built to support the embankment . This involved the digging foundations, pouring concrete and building of brick pillars. These pillars support the Eco Brick bottles. Steel mesh and mortar are used to build the Eco Brick walls.
The soil is very deficient, so the terraced gardens will be filled with compost and landscapers mix. Fruit trees have been planted at the back wall, and the beds created by the terraced gardens will be planted with trailing plants like butternut, pumpkin, and watermelon.
3. Creche Vegetable Gardens
Currently we have six vegetable gardens at individual creches.
We plan to provide the following resources to four additional creches:
Other Donations / Our Needs
Time
Money
Building Materials and equipment
See what we’ve been up to – changing lives in Diepsloot.
You Can Make a Difference in Diepsloot
Colin Ekman (Chairman)
Pastor Setumo Dlothi (Vice Chairman)
Cherith Projects’ registration number: 2021/939657/8
Directors: Chairman Colin Ekman, Vice Chairman Pastor Setumo Dloti, Horticulture Dr Cary Goodwin, Legal Matters Amanda Fischer, Children’s Pastor & Creative Lisa Ekman, New Project Foreman Pastor Admore, Secretary Jill Battle.
Get Involved
Get in touch to donate time, resources and skills.
Cherith Projects is a Non-profit Organisation (Registration No. 2021/939657/08).
Donations are tax deductible in South Africa and a tax certificate (Ref. 18A) can be issued.
Bank Details
Cherith Projects
Bank: Nedbank
Account Number:
122 233 6448
Branch: 198765
Swift Code: NEDSZAJJ