Johannesburg - Schools in the North West province used National Arbor Month as a springboard to further ignite their learnership and schools programme. The project, introduced by Sun City, creates jobs for youths through the cultivation of juicy local citrus.
To expand upon the project, which was started last year by the Resort’s Social-Economic Development Programme, Sun City purchased a further 550 citrus trees, of which 250 were planted to establish a mini-orchard to be used for training purposes for unemployed youth.
The resort donated the remaining 300 citrus trees, along with irrigation systems and gardening tools, to six schools within the Moses Kotane Local Municipality and Rustenburg Municipality - Mperebere Primary School and Mphuphuthe Primary School in Ledig, Bothibelo Primary School in Phatsima, Mafenya Primary School in Chaneng, Tshwara-o-dire Primary School in Mogwase and Reoleboge Special School in Moruleng.
Sun City’s SED and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Tebogo Mokgejane said the project is an extension of last year’s initial project of 100 citrus trees planted at Sedibelo Secondary and Temogo Special School.
“Six unemployed youths from the Moses Kotane Municipal region last year completed a Citrus Business Management learnership through the Citrus Academy, with Sun City sponsoring transport and lunch packs. They also learned tree pruning techniques from Sun City’s landscaping company. By adding more trees to the Resort, we are expanding our citrus project and enabling these graduates to continue carrying out practical work and maintain trees that will be planted in nearby schools,” said Mokgejane.
Sun City’s Environmental Officer, Basetsana Motha, said activities in celebration of National Arbor week included an environmental awareness educational session as well as various tree planting ceremonies.
“This promoted the importance of trees, which help to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality,” she said.
“The aim of the programme is to promote food security and to instil the interest of food production in youth, as well as help school feeding programmes to benefit from having a free source of healthy fresh produce. Citrus trees can be a source of income for schools, which can sell the fruits to generate revenue for supplies, funding extracurricular activities, or improving school infrastructure. We are pleased to have such an exciting project with which to engage the local community which is so vital to Sun City,” Mokgejane concluded.