GROWING A BOOK...

...takes a network!

WOMEN OF SOIL - changing lives the book celebrating 10 years of Woman Zone and 20 years of Soil for Life, was finally launched, with a lively and loving reception at Artscape. The 10 women Home Food Gardeners whose stories feature in the book all came, as well as Cindy Buske, Sandi Fortuin and Livingstone Muswere, CEO,  programme coordinator and trainer respectively of Soil for Life. Artscape CEO, Marlene le Roux, who also wrote the foreword for the book, spoke as well as Celeste  Matthews Wannenburgh, chair of the WZ Board. It was very special and we are grateful to all who attended, and to all who bought the book, May you too grow and flourish.  

Poet and storyteller Philippa Kabali-Kagwa called everyone with a song and a poem and Celeste opened hearts with her moving speech about women. and their challenges. 

Looking wonderful in their traditional outfits, the Home Food Gardeners all stood for a photocall, each next to a poster of her as she appears in the book, with a quote in her own words. They are, top row from left to right: Nomathemba Bakubaku, Nombulelo Mgogo, Natasha de Leeuw. Middle row from left: Piennie Johnson, Nokwekkwezi Sitole, Ebba Dazela. Next row: Farida Ryklief, Nasheema Ismail, Livingstone Muswere (for Nomvusi Botha who was at her husbands funeral. Bottom: Fareda Abrahams. 

 Our grateful thanks to Lorraine de Villiers and Kyle Richards from Opechee Design for producing the beautiful end product, as well as to the printers Onyx Press. Most special thanks for their kind sponsorship to PPECB (Perishable Products Export Control Board) and Riegel Organic Wine as well as to supporters Deb Naughton, Miriam & Heather Schiff, Dr Nadia Kamies and Nikki Crowser. Blessings. 

And in front of Wire Woman, dressed in honour of the Home Food Gardening team and carrying a board that says 'Do what you can with what you have' - we say Womandla! It's amazing what you can do with a network of women. 
To buy a copy of Women of Soil - changing lives, contact us on info@womanzonect.co.za.
To listen to the womens testimonies, check our podcast: Women Zone Stories: the gardeners speak https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ArxWD10Qnl4yETATIfHzU