Rehabilitation is Rewarding

Last week we received a certificate of appreciation from the Bekezela Support Group at the Leeuwkop Correctional Facility's Medium A group. This is in recognition of the work we do toward rehabilitation of our learners through our horticulture training programme - this is a wonderful honour and we are humbled to be a recipient.

Home Improvements

In anticipation of the beginning of our upcoming training session, we've been hard at work at our training centre at the Leeuwkop Correctional Facility. Some of our most dedicated graduates from the class of 2010 have been working tirelessly and have produced fantastic results - see for yourself!

Mike Griffiths - Forever in our Hearts and Minds

Today we mourn the loss of a dear friend and colleague - Mike Griffiths passed away last week after a short illness. He will be missed by all those whose lives he touched. Mike was generous with his time, knowledge and love of the land. Our hearts are deeply saddened by his passing yet full of the happy memories he left with us. Mike's funeral will be held at the Bryanston Methodist Church on Tuesday 15 February at 10 am.

Starting the Year Off Right

It's 2011 but here is a message from last year that we didn't want to forget! Stay tuned for new updates - we're starting a new round of classes in a few short weeks. Our Leeuwkop nursery is ready for us, as you can see.

Joyous Holidays

From our team to you and yours, have a happy and festive holiday season!

As we head into 2011, look back over a year marked with success with us - click here to read our 2010 newsletter.

Artwork: Thulane Tshabalala, Leeuwkop Class of 2010

Braai Day to End 2010

The work of our Hlumelelisa team and learners at Leeuwkop Correctional Facility has come to an end for 2010 - we capped off a wonderful year of learning with a braai that was truly a group effort!

Championing Sustainability

At Hlumelelisa, we strive to form strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations so that we can learn and grow from one another. Ryan and Liza of Ekukhanyeni visited with our class of 2010 at our training facility and nursery at Leeuwkop earlier this month. Our visitors captivated the class with their breadth of knowledge on permaculture design and sustainable farming techniques.

Ekukhanyeni means “Home of Light and Hope” and is a not-for-profit organization that focuses on community upliftment in poverty stricken informal settlements around Johannesburg. Ekukhanyeni uses sustainable technologies and lifestyles education to help adults in these zones to achieve and maintain food and nutrition security in ways that do not negatively affect natural resources. The project creates self-sustaining communities through its green and holistic design approach to community development.