What We Do

Abalimi’s work can be best described by looking at our core business and target areas. 

Our aim is to, firstly, combat poverty by growing food sustainably, using organic methods, at home and in community gardens and, secondly to provide support to the farmers in production planning, soil infrastructure, planning harvests, access to seeds and seedlings, vegetable transportation, and financial services to be able to run their micro farms.

Our core business is based on the following four pillars:

  • providing training and extension services to small scale farmers 
  • providing access to affordable seeds, seedlings and manure for production 
  • provide support around capital infrastructure, such as irrigation and manure for soil building, depending on available funding
  • provide access to market to allow farmers to sell surplus vegetables
  • provide organisation building and administrative support

Our core business is implemented in the following manner:

  • The garden centres provide a direct point of contact for the community where they can buy supplies and get support to encourage resilience
  • Food security is a strong focus throughout our organisation, starting from a container garden at home
  • The production gardens have a stronger focus on income generation and job creation
  • The administrative team help to pull this all together behind the scenes

Our target group are living in vast informal settlements, often referred to as townships of Cape Town, where over a million people live, mostly in shacks and matchbox houses. Approximately 40% of its people are unemployed. The majority speak isiXhosa and are migrants from the Eastern Cape – the former apartheid homelands of Transkei and Ciskei.

Our target area is the Cape Flats – including Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Philippi, Browns Farm, Crossroads and Gugulethu. The Cape Flats are ecologically sensitive dune sand areas which contain some of the most threatened floral species within the unique Cape Floral Kingdom, a World Heritage Biome.  The sandy soil makes it difficult for growing vegetables, thus we strive through all our activities and projects to conserve and enhance the soil and natural vegetation.

Our vision is to support individuals and groups from disadvantaged communities in Cape Town to recognise the link between their survival, health and the active improvement of their environment so that they have the confidence to initiate, replicate and sustain food growing and greening activities. These actions furthermore act as an entry point to other development activities that can improve lives. By forming grassroots associations and networks they will actively seek out and lobby for resources and support, which will strengthen their self-help initiatives in both their rural and urban homes.

Our mission statement is to empower the disadvantaged through urban agriculture and environmental programmes and projects. We support our target group’s ability to replicate their success and transform their lives in their urban and rural environments. Abalimi assists by providing the following support services:

  • Project implementation
  • Agricultural and horticultural commodities
  • Training
  • Organisation building
  • Facilitation of partnerships
  • Research, monitoring and evaluation

Here are some of the community gardens that we support:

Masikhanye Harare 33 Section Ncumo Road Harare/ Kwamfundo Seconary School
Nonyameko at Luleka Harare Luleka Primary
Ntinga at Police Station Harare Police Station Harare, 19 Bila Street
Sakhisizwe Harare 3861 Gama Street
Nonyebo at Lukhaza Khayelithsa, Village 1 Khayelitsch special school / silunku street
Sinoxolo J81 Khayelithsa, Village 2 J 81 Nothobine Square
Bambanani at Sivuyiseni Khayelitsha Sivuyiseni Primary / Thandi Modise Crescent
Chithindlala at Homba Primary School Khayelitsha Homba Primary School
Esam Esahko at Impendulo School Khayelitsha Impendulo Primary / 43 Khwahlaza Street Makahza
Khanyisa at Siphamandla School Khayelitsha Siphamandla School / Lindela Raos Kuyasa
Masipile Peace Garden Khayelitsha
Masithobelane Moya Khayelitsha Manyanani Peace Park, Khayelitsha
SCAGA (Siyazama Comm. Allotment Garden Assoc.) Khayelitsha 39236 Stve Thwete Makahza
Scaga 2 Esake Khayelitsha 39728 Steve tshwete Makahza
Scaga 3 Eden Khayelitsha 39728 Steve tshwete Makahza
Scaga 4 Khulamtawna Khayelitsha 39728 Steve tshwete Makahza
Scaga 5 Patrica Khayelitsha 39728 Steve tshwete Makahza
Sibanye Khayelitsha Uxolo High School, Bathandwa Ndundo road 20 Section Mandela Park
Sinoxolo at Thembelile High School Khayelitsha Thembelile High School, Town Two
Iliso Care Khayelitsha Site C
Kolping Mfuleni St. Kizito
Sophakama New Cross Road 188 Manyano Street New Cross road
Akhanye Nyanga Mpunzane Street Mzamomomhle Primary
Asande Nyanga NY 50 Gugulethu 7750 / Intshukumo Comprehensive High
Baphumelele Nyanga F 426 Schaapkraal Road
Better Life Nyanga Corner of road 40 43 Street David vanda Drive
Bongulethu Nyanga Bonulethu School
Fezeka Nyanga Ny1  No. 349 Gugulethu 7750
Joyce Ndisa Nyanga Joyce Ndinisa Educare
Klipfontein Nyanga 110 Klipfontein Mission Station
Masibulele Nyanga Andile Junior Secondary School
Masithandane Nyanga NY 126 Gugulethu Corner NY 127
Masizingie Nyanga Bonulethu School
Nonkululeko Nyanga
Siaphanbil Nyanga N 126 Mfenyana Street
Sinako Nyanga NY 141 Xolani Primary School
Love and Faith Philippi 12561 Ndongeni CrescentLower corass road
Masibambane Philippi Sagwityi Street Browns Farm
Philippi Office Philippi Cwango Crecent
Zingisn @ Sintethemba Philippi Sagwityi Street Browns Farm

Click here for more information about our community based Garden Centres.

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