Johan, Sabelo, Jonas and Clifford meet the Queen at Eden

Green Futures 2005/2006 Graduates

A very proud Manager, Alfred at his new job Cape Town

A visit to Robben Island

Nzuzo receiving his award at the Western Cape Governments Youth In Tourism

Search and Rescue at Whale Cascades

A fond farewell to Hilary Bosher

Welcome to Neil Macdonald - horticultural Lecturer

NOVEMBER 2006

Green Futures Students meet Queen Elizabeth
Thanks to the ongoing support of the Eden Project we were again able to send three students, Sabelo Jonas, Clifford Siko and Ricard Plaatjies along with horticulturalist Johan Strydom for three weeks to work and experience Eden. This is always an incredible experience for the students who get to fly to Heathrow, visit London, explore Cornwall and work at one of the worlds most celebrated plant destinations. The Green Futures teams visit coincided with an official visit by the Queen and the students were introduced and had the opportunity to explain what they were doing at the project. From all accounts they had a great visit and were superb ambassadors from Grootbos, Green Futures and South Africa - well done guys and thanks again to Eden.

What are our graduates up to?
At Green Futures we measure our success not on how many students graduate but how successful they are on developing a career once they graduate. We have some wonderful success stories that we are extremely proud of. Over the last three years 97% of the students who started at Green Futures completed the full years training and graduated, 91% of the students found employment immediately after graduation and all have managed to secure employment at some stage. Some of our heroes include Nzuzo Nkili (2004) who was awarded the Western Cape Governments Youth In Tourism Award at a Gala evening in Cape Town. Nzuzo along with Phindile Siko (2004), Sabelo Jonas (2006) and Nkoshinati (2006) are all graduates who are excelling as Nature guides at Grootbos. Phindile recently completed an accredited Birding Course with Birdlife SA and can been seen on most off days combing the coastline and local estuary for elusive feathered friends. Renee Plaatjies (2005) is running a retail nursery at Build It in Gansbaai, Alfred Mtobela (2005) is a manager at a large commercial landscaping company in Cape Town, Freedom (2004) runs the Green Futures wholesale nursery and so the list goes on.

Robben Island visit
One of the year's highlights is our annual visit to Robben Island. For many students a dream come true and often there first visit to the Mother City. Although we managed to loose one student on the island there was a happy re-uniting later in the day at the Waterfront and great fun was had by all.

Support from ABSA for Green Futures
The ABSA Foundation has committed to support the Green Futures Colleges life skills component over the next three years. This financial contribution will be used to assist students to pass there learners and drivers license, computer training, first aid course, business skills, HIV training and general mentorship. ABSA is also directly involved with the Grootbos Green Futures Foundation in the Spaces for Sports Project in Gansbaai which includes the development of sports facilities for all communities, youth training and township greening. Watch this space to see how our students are provided opportunities to become involved in this exciting local initiative!

Landscaping and restoration projects
Our nursery and landscaping staff have been extremely busy over the last six months with a number of exciting projects. We grew and delivered over 100 000 indigenous plants for the Stonehurst development on the slopes of Ou Kaapsewg on the Cape Peninsula. Green futures also supplied large numbers of planst for the Hermanus Golf course development as well as for the restoration of the fynbos around the Grootbos Forest Lodge development. We have also been involved with a search and rescue project at Fernkloof and Whale Cascades in Hermanus where we dug out a wide variety of rare bulbs and fynbos shrubs. These have been stockpiled in our nursery to be replanted once the construction is completed.

A fond farewell to Hilary
It was with great sadness that we said farewell to Hilary Bosher after three years at the helm of the horticultural training portfolio. Hilary has played a fundamental role in the development of the curriculum and the very heart beat of the college. As her work permit came to an end she has left for a stint in New Zealand where she will continue to live her dream of working with plants and people. She will be sorely missed as a colleague, teacher and friend. We wish her well and look forward to hearing more about her many adventures.

Neil Macdonald has replaced Hilary as the horticultural lecturer. Neil originates from the Northern Cape where he went to school before studying horticulture and then going on to work in environmental education and nursery management at the University of the Western Cape. Neil has already showed his enthusiasm and passion for plants and youth development and we look forward to his future input at Green Futures.

http://www.greenfutures.co.za
Tel: 028 384 8044
Fax: 028 384 8100

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