The apartheid government of South Africa in the 1970s applied the Group Areas Act when it displaced and bulldozed an entire community of "Coloureds", as they were called (members of multiracial ethnic communities with ancestry from African, European, and Asian people), from Cape Town to the new community of Atlantis 40 km to the north. Atlantis now has 90,000 residents. Unemployment is high at 40% and suffers from lack of housing and a very high crime rate among its challenges. Many students arrive at their schools without having eaten any food in the morning or during the day.In support of their community the Rotary Club of Atlantis has established gardens at 12 elementary schools to feed the children. The club also educates the students on how to grow vegetables and on environmental issues. It also operates two community soup kitchens to feed children and teens.
In December 2024, Rotary Club of Ladner member and Past District 5040 Governor Chris Offer, as a side trip on a personal tour along the African west coast, spent a day with members of the Rotary Club of Atlantis touring four of the community's schools and doing a volunteer shift at one of the local Rotary club's soup kitchens. Chris learned that funds are needed to purchase gardening equipment the children can use, and rice and corn meal to supplement the vegetables grown at the schools to feed the children. Atlantis was built on sand. So, to grow gardens, there is also the cost of bringing in soil. -- photos by Chris Offer
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Chris's visit came about after the Rotary Club of Atlantis reached out to the Rotary Club of Ladner in June 2024 looking for a partner for their project to provide a food for children campaign. Now the $15,000 School Meals Atlantis South Africa is supplying five months of food and supplies and improvements with CDN$10,000 from the Ladner Rotary club and a Rotary Foundation District Grant of CDN$5,000.
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Through the Rotary club in Atlantis, school students learn about: • recovering seed from their crop; • compost making; • safe and correct use of garden equipment; • correct irrigation; • use of water sparingly; • network with other participants; • exchange goods - barter; • marketing and sales of crop.
The funds will be used to continue the project and to expand the size of gardens: Meat, rice, vegetables, beans and propane gas refills for the soup kitchen, garden tools, seeds to grow vegetables, seedlings compost and repairs to a toilet in Cresch (Kindergarten).
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This School Meals Atlantis South Africa project was made possible not only with funding and management by Rotary, but with support of the following sources.
• The Department of Agriculture supplied start-up vegetable garden kits.
• Durbanville Boere vereniging - Klipheuwel Farm supplied compost at low cost.
• The Hobbs family contributed seedlings and plants at reduced rates.
• Goedverwacht Trust provided seeds.
• Hope and Reconciliation Trust provided seed.
• The schools and the Head Masters (Principals) of all schools are partners.
• The Department of Agriculture supplied start-up vegetable garden kits.
• Durbanville Boere vereniging - Klipheuwel Farm supplied compost at low cost.
• The Hobbs family contributed seedlings and plants at reduced rates.
• Goedverwacht Trust provided seeds.
• Hope and Reconciliation Trust provided seed.
• The schools and the Head Masters (Principals) of all schools are partners.