Why we support Soil for Life

Have you heard of Eat for the Earth? We sure hope so. All funds raised by our Eat for the Earth initiative go directly to Soil for Life. Here’s the story of Yuppiechef’s friendship with this awesome charity and a little more about the work Soil for Life do.

This is how the story goes

Four years ago the very first Yuppiechef employee, Mike Little, introduced us to ‘some guys around the corner who are doing a stellar job teaching folks to garden’. We liked the idea of providing independence through food and of spreading a food appreciation lifestyle into underprivileged communities so partnering with these like-minded, green-fingered folk was an easy leap into something good.

Not too long after this, a fundraising initiative presented itself through the Woolies lovebirds campaign. It was a pretty exciting part of Yuppiechef’s history where we were able to hold a Woolies website to ransom and ask Woolies to match any funds raised by our community for Soil for Life. Together a whopping R120,000 was raised in just two weeks.

And just like that we became hungry for an annual collaboration with Soil for Life and so Eat for the Earth was born. This is the third year running that we are challenging people to Eat for the Earth on 5 June.

The awesomeness of Soil for Life

Soil For Life teaches people in underprivileged areas how to build soil and grow vegetables so families can sit down to fresh, nutritious and free food all year round. Sustainable, healthy, community-building and self-sufficient living is what it’s all about and veggie gardens that can be used to generate an income, a bonus.

Here are the key reasons why supporting Soil for Life can make such a difference:

1.  Tackling food insecurity one household at a time
Soil for Life alleviates food insecurity by teaching residents of underprivileged communities how to grow vegetables in the space that they have, with what they have. We’re talking growing veggies in the backs of old TVs, turning litter-strewn wasteland into award-winning and delicious gardens and building gardens that can feed families in the tiniest of spaces.

2. Building uplifting community spaces
Having a green and lush community space in which to relax is important, for everyone. Soil for Life help create these uplifting community spaces that not only offer food to eat but also spaces in which kids can kick soccer balls and birds hang around.

3. Improving health
Did you know that the 12 most common causes of death in South Africa are dietary related? By teaching people how to veggie gardens and in turn eat more healthily, we’re getting somewhere towards a better quality of life through inexpensive and sustainable measures.

4. Long-term up-skilling
Members of the community who seek involvement in Soil for Life receive three months gardening training, nine months of life skills training and plenty of follow-ups and support visits from a Soil for Life established local food gardener.

5. Stress relief
Not knowing where your next meal is coming from can be a pretty stressful day-to-day existence. For the communities affected by food insecurity, the simple act of being able to tend to your own soil and therefore your own plate of food is a huge stress relief.

So the next time you’re unsure about the difference hosting a meal for your friends can make, think about all the little ripple effects that come into play when, instead of feeding a man for a day, you teach him how to grow a cabbage patch in a discarded wheelbarrow, for life.

Head this way to register your meal for Eat for the Earth.