Instagram story viewer> @umthombotrust> Tagged

umthombotrust

@umthombotrust

445

followers

226

following

Community led learning space on Homtini Farm in Rheenendal, Knysna.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

🌸 HOT OFF THE PRESS! 🌸

The Spring issue of The Times Plett & Knysna is here!

Fresh local stories, interesting people and plenty to read as Plett and Knysna head into spring and the start of another busy summer season. ☀️🌿

PICK UP YOUR COPY FREE at npod at Market Off Main in Plett or from the Visit Knysna offices in Main Street.

Or download the digital edition FREE: www.macpublishing.co.za

#TheTimesPlettKnysna #Plett #Knysna #GardenRoute

15

2

Today I gardened with the new group in the Homtini Umthombo Allotment garden and I was overwhelmed with inspiration from this young legend, Denovan. The way he talks about himself, how able he is and how much his schooling at Carpe Diem meant to him, how he wishes for young people to seize the day as his school taught him, to try no matter what and seeing him pushing himself into the middle of the garden to plant beetroot - despite his challenges - made me wonder at the absolute resilience of the human spirit and how some of us are so determined and others lose their way and the fire in their spirit.
Come and spend a day in the garden and reignite your fire.

It would be so grand for this to be shared and somehow we get some garden clothes / workwear for this group so they can get even more down and dirty!

Spring is springing!

45

7

What do football, screen printing, a South African braai, and sustainability have in common? More than you might think!

This July, Recorra Social Impact Lead Ed Van Reenen spent a day at @umthombotrust's Holiday Club, where a jam-packed activity programme is helping young people build confidence, develop new skills, strengthen community connections, and deepen their relationship with nature.

His is biggest takeaway? “…that environmental education is wider and deeper than recycling.”

Recorra is proud to support Umthombo's work, helping create opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and thrive.

Hear more from Ed below, then read the blog to learn more.

🔗 in our bio.

15

1

On Saturday our Rheenendal, Kurland and Tsitikamma Eco Youth Circles joined Natures Valley Trust and leaders of the Inqua Royal Kingdom, to walk the paths of the Robberg Peninsula and explore some of its coastline. We experienced this exceptional place through stories, games and experiential learning - the stories being a highlight for many. Sitting in a cave and leaning back in time to remember and consider the generations of indigenous people who once lived in this area, their deep connection to the land and sea, and the ways in which natural resources were used sustainably to support communities over generations. Listening to some of the Inqua elders and Chief Justin share his stories sparked curiosity in many of the youth and that’s what EYC is all about - blowing gently on the flames of curiosity so that youth are motivated to learn more and dream bigger.
It wouldn’t be an EYC outing without free time to play and explore with friends from different communities! Thank you to everyone who helped get us all out into one of the most special places in the Garden Route!

#outdoorlearning #experiential_learning #storytelling

28

3

The rain stopped yesterday and the sun pushed through, golden, a hint of warmth as the evening settled pink and blue around us. Our Eco Youth Circle came back together for a good check in, to discuss the storm and how we all managed, to have a moment of quiet and connection and then a fun run around learning about soil and adding plants to our indigenous and medicinal garden around our youth space. Sometimes, just letting the light in, helps to sing again! Didn’t think it would be to Justin Bieber but hanging out with teenagers makes you do crazy things.

Our word for the day was grateful and in this golden light we all felt it! Thanks to the dream team for keeping this EYC and the Umthombo space alive @iambritz23 and Suelynn ✨

35

6

Visiting local farm @welliamorganics is always an extremely inspiring experience and today even more so with some of the Homtini Farm gang! From their thriving ‘kosbos’ food forest to their phenomenal annual production and systems, the entire farm throbs with vibrance and living food. Anne-Marie and Terence are such wonderful passionate farmers and we felt so honoured to learn so much in just an afternoon! Homtini and umthombo space kosbos incoming! 🍌🥒

43

1

Join Daniel and I on a morning walk through the allotment garden. Usually includes loads of smack talk, giggles, pest challenges and lots of learning from each other. Highly recommend. It’s been an honour to support this garden for the last five years and to see how it’s growing now makes all of our efforts so worth it.

Shout if you want to walk through this inspiring and flourishing garden with Mr Hetjies himself!
🥕🥦🍅

39

2

Our first EYC youth camp kicked off this Easter holidays and it was a big one! Our biggest yet! 50 teenagers from four different semi rural communities between the eastern and Western Cape, a team of ten and a whole lot of energy. We played, laughed, discussed, learnt, cried, explored, dreamt, created. We added 50 yellow woods to our little restoration site and a new pathway to the sunset! Before camp we added new bathrooms, a new classroom roof and a better lighting system. We have come a long way since we had our first camp where we had a plastic tarp strung between some trees and four facilitators that did the facilitating, cooking, cleaning and packing up! Our team has grown, we have so much more to learn but we are grateful to be able to do our bit in creating positive, impactful memories for these young people.

#youthdevelopment

51

5

Where women, waste, and community meet.

To recognise this year's International Women’s Day on Sunday, we spoke to some incredible women leading the projects your business support through Recorra.

Hear from Dee Vadukul, CEO of the food distribution charity @planzheroes , and Layla Staegemann, Coordinator at the @umthombotrust as they share how their experience as women leading charitable initiatives interconnect with waste management.

🔗 Find further information from the UN about women’s relationship with the waste industry on Recorra's LinkedIn.

For the purposes of this video, we are discussing gender in a binary frame in line with the research used. We do however recognise that transgender and non-binary people will often face even greater risks and barriers in waste, climate and environmental contexts.

31

0

As someone who REALLY loves to swim and is fascinated by water, it has felt very special over my life to share that love and curiosity with others. Be it engaging in sensory exploration of the rocky shores, swimming, surfing, dancing on the beach or watching the waves, feeling the immense effect water has on our nervous systems and the joy from being immersed in it. Watching people learn to swim, float for the first time, touch starfish and stand on their first wave have all been some of the best moments of living on this water filled planet.

Our Eco Youth Circle programme (see more on @culturalconnectionsza and @umthombotrust ) spends lots of time exploring water from the rivers to the oceans and each circle this year has had magical experiences with this element!

Thanks to the wonderful people at @mungodesign we will be starting another EYC next year and you can help it happen by joining a swim club near you!

Five days of early morning plunges with others who love to swim, immersing yourself in the big blue! A perfect way to start the day and to support young people to have their magic moments with the ocean too. Plus at the end you get to dry yourself with the best towel you’ll ever have!

Ticket link in @mungodesign bio.

44

2

A day of ocean magic articulated so beautifully by Nicole, budding poet from the Tsitikamma EYC.

Access to the ocean is the reason so many people feel they have no relationship to it, access is a systemic and historical issue and so we are divided and removed from wild places like the coastline and the mountains by these issues and so the simplicity of days like these can feel like small push backs against the injustice of that separation and gives glances at how quickly we (especially young people) connect to these places and ecosystems, recognising them as restorative places where joy comes easily and a place we are all a part of or as Nicole says, where we all come from.

Thank you so much for this video @___blakecrankshaw
🌊

59

5

The Umthombo Trust and Recorra: Teaming Up to Clean the Homtini Pass, South Africa♻️

Recently, ESG Lead Edward van Reenen, joined the Umthombo Trust Eco Youth Circle to clean the Homtini Pass: a three-mile stretch along the Homtini River through South Africa’s breathtaking Afro-montane forest. 🌲 ⛰️

🦺 Wearing bright Recorra hi-vis vests, the team set off collecting litter along the pass, preventing it from entering the Homtini river.

This river is a vital water source that is pumped to the Rheenendal settlement for purification and drinking, and flows to the ocean where the group recently enjoyed a surf trip.

These clear connections between waste, local communities and the environment sparked important discussions about how litter in the river impacts drinking water in Rheenendal and how waste eventually reaches and pollutes the ocean.

The day was a true team effort: the group carried eight sacks of litter and six sacks of recyclables back up the steep pass, removing waste from the ancient forest and preventing it from entering local waterways. A challenging but rewarding day of action, connection, and learning, with 14 sacks of waste removed from this precious ecosystem 🌍💪.

And, of course, no youth clean-up would be complete without music! Bluetooth speakers and tunes kept spirits high.🎶

Want to see more from the Umthombo Trust? Check them out here @umthombotrust The Umthombo Trust and Recorra teamed up to clean up and collect litter form the Homtini Pass in South Africa. Team from the Eco Youth Circle wearing bright orange Recorra-branded, recycled plastic hi-vis vests.

10

2