Thea Guillaume wanted to do more for the people she saw struggling so she reused her milk boxes and started growing seedlings for anyone who needed.
South Africa (10 September 2020) – South Africans are no strangers to seeing people begging for money, work and food but ever since the economic lockdown, the number of people out on the streets has doubled, in some cases tripled!
Every street corner is filled with people desperate to gain access to some kind of aid. It can be very overwhelming because you cannot help every person.
People have been innovative, in how they deal with people on the roadside, from handing out small food items and food parcels to masks and sanitiser, people have made sure to do their bit for other. Thea Guillaume has come up with a way to lend a helping hand that is sustainable and offers a long-term helping hand.
Thea started reusing her milk boxes, filling them with soil and planting swiss chard seeds. Her plan, to hand out the seedlings to people in need. Thea was inspired to start her project after years of working with her church in various community garden projects.
We reached out to Thea to find out her story. Thea and her husband have been church leaders since the ’80s and have been involved in many projects related to food gardens. They once gave out seeds in the spirit of competition and their community had an abundance of food on hand.
“Once I handed out seeds and asked for some plants in return. Unexpectedly, weeks after I gave them the seeds, two elderly men handed me a bunch of crispy leaved spinach.
Yesterday a woman called me to the fence and told me about all her problems and that she needs a job. I asked her if she had a place to plant spinach, I gave her 2 milk boxes with seedlings in 3 stages.”
The two spoke for a while, discussing their beliefs before the woman left with her seedlings. Thea’s project has inspired many of her fellow gardeners. She will continue to hand out seedlings to anyone who needs help.
“I will use any means to help people, so, the spinach was an idea from God, this I know!”
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