Save Our Schools (SOSNPO) launches a perennial initiative entitled ‘Water in the Sky’ on United Nations World Water Day, Wednesday 22nd March, at Bloekombos Secondary School. The project will implement the development of vital water infrastructure and water-conscious vegetable gardens in a bid to feed the hungry, protect groundwater resources and welcome employment opportunities for the impoverished.

The official launch event will see brand sponsors plant vegetable seeds in the school garden and water-wise plants to form their logos as a ‘growing-billboard’. As a proud sponsor of the event, The RE/MAX hot air balloon will offer attendees a free flight to oversee the project from above.* The RE/MAX Foundation will also be sponsoring two vegetable gardens to serve the local creche and primary school. In addition to this, RE/MAX of Southern Africa has sponsored the gardening gloves for the group of 12 students at Bloekombos Secondary School who will each receive a harvesters kit for tending to the gardens on an ongoing basis.

“This initiative aligns well with the core focus of the RE/MAX Foundation which exists to promote and inspire Southern African people to improve themselves and strive to be the best they can be, with an emphasis on empowering our youth,” says Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa.

Speaking into why this event exists, SOSNPO writes that South Africa’s population faces high levels of food insecurity, with an estimated 14 million people vulnerable to food insecurity during the period of 2022/2023. More than 5 million children in South Africa experience hunger every day. In Cape Town, food security is exceedingly threatened, as the Western Cape’s dam levels have dropped below 50% as of February 2023.

Their flagship project, ‘Water in the Sky’ is an innovative, aerial pipeline solution with an integrated vertical garden and rainwater harvesting scheme, that is suitable and specifically designed for informal communities around the globe. The rainwater harvesting systems, vertical and horizontal vegetable gardens will address the ongoing food crisis and preserve valuable water resources, while the establishment of handwashing infrastructure aims to improve the state of hygiene in the country.

Furthermore, the project’s educational component will see the creation of Save Our Schools (SOS) Harvesters, a group of 12 students at Bloekombos Secondary School who will each receive a harvesters kit, learn about water preservation, agricultural practices and tend to the gardens. SOSNPO will also host a six-month ongoing activation, welcoming school children and brands to a tour of hope of their gardens, to view the progress and learn water-saving agriculture tips. The non-profit organisation then aims to extend the project to other areas in Western Cape and South Africa to improve the lives of thousands in the upcoming years.

“We are excited to see our ‘growing billboard’ in this community as a sign of our ongoing commitment to uplifting communities and the people that live there,” Goslett concludes.

*Hot air balloon flight was sadly cancelled owing to strong winds.