Young People Make a Living through Planting Trees – Greening Project

The next six months will see 20 young people from Sky City near Alberton benefit from job opportunities brought about through the Greening Project by the City’s Department of Environment Resources. This is in partnership with Department of Forestry and Fisheries and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and 2 000 donated trees will be planted in Sky City and Palm Ridge from October 2020 to April 2021.

The energetic Green Project brigades have so far planted over 200 of the 2 000 fruit and indigenous trees on street pavements, at early childhood development centres, shopping centres, schools and parks.

Many members of the Greening Project Brigades have been unemployed for some time while others are fresh out of school and needed employment. As such, the monthly stipend they will receive at the end of each month for the next six months will make a huge difference in their lives.

Tumi Mokate (20) lives in Sky City and after matriculating found he was unemployed with no prospects to further his studies.

“I heard about the Greening Project from the local councillor during a community meeting and I registered to be part of the project. In the meantime, I have been cutting grass for people and charge R40 per yard. The Green Project monthly stipend will help me get the necessities for myself,” said Mokate.

Mokate further says he finds this job fulfilling, and it allows him to interact with his neighbours and educate people about how to plant and nurture a tree.