Introduction
The greening of Zisukhanyo Secondary School is a project that aims to reclaim the lost land on the school campus that has been taken over by waste and overgrown alien vegetation, while finding solutions to local problems related to poverty, education, food insecurity and the energy crisis in SA.
We aim to reduce the carbon footprint of the school and provide sustainable and viable solutions for a greener environment — creating an aquaponics food forest that incorporates recycling, upcycling and permaculture farming techniques and educates us about nutrition and the impact of our food choices on our ecosystem.
The project was initiated by Climate Actions Now and is supported by Guerrilla House, Pro Veg, Casa Bio, Power To The People and Bin Scrub.
Project type: Land Use, Solar Power, Permaculture, Aquaponics, Life-skills Education and Music · Location: Zisukhanyo High School, Cape Town, South Africa.
Project activities
Cleaning; testing (for metals, chemicals or e-coli pollution), PH and water table testing and treating of the site where necessary. Development of onsite solar panels by Power To The People Pty Ltd to cover all the school's electricity needs off the unreliable national grid. Systematic planting of native hardwoods, fruit bearing trees and perimeter food-supporting thorn bushes like raspberries and gooseberries.
Vegetable gardens both in the ground and via vertical Aquaponics — a bio-integrated system that links recirculating aquaculture with hydroponic vegetable, flower and/or herb production. Recorded and broadcast as it happens, to share and archive the experience for future classes.
The project ensures that the school and community land use plans are implemented by establishing sources of nutrition, income, education and a balanced eco-system.
Plant-based quick-food service coupled with on-demand services and farm-to-table solutions — a chance to visit, explore, connect and share local food-based experiences virtually, remotely or in person.
Meet the project founder
Mthetho is the project coordinator for the Greening of Zisukhanyo Secondary School and is responsible for keeping things running smoothly between HQ, the project site and the boots on the ground. He lives two streets away from the school and was born and has always lived in this township and area.
Project media by CAN Media: "Zisukhanyo Secondary School — Project Presentation" · "Meet Bin Scrub" (our site maintenance partner) · "Meet Mthetho". The project covers multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Support the Greening of Zisukhanyo — fund trees, solar, aquaponics and life-skills education for a whole school community.