|

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

test
|