Farming project gets compost donation

WINDHOEK, MARCH 15 – Organic Energy Solutions – a unit of O&L Energy (a subsidiary of the O&L Group) earlier this week donated organic compost towards the organic farming project at Huis Maerua (a safe haven and care facility for children that are neglected, abandoned, that come from poverty-stricken homes, have been abused, or stay in socially unacceptable living conditions).
Fundraiser and project manager for Ecumenical Social Services (EcSoS) Namibia, and coordinator of the Organic Farming Project at Huis Maerua, Elario Muller: “We are in the process of developing a small organic garden with the purpose of growing specialty tomato (medley mix tomatoes are also known as rainbow mix tomatoes) plants and edible flowers to sell to a niche market in Windhoek, as well as the public. The compost will be used as the organic grow medium. We will add the compost to buckets and grow the tomatoes and edible flowers in the buckets. (Growing in buckets offsets a lot of water usage). The project is established to help with the salaries of social workers, and we hope to expand to a large scale organic farming project at Huis Maerua.”
At the handing over of the donation, Organic Energy Solutions representative, Edelweiss Junius stressed on the example set through the project. “Elario approached Organic Energy Solutions to purchase compost from us – as we are also a supplier of compost. But when we learned of why he wants to buy compost, and about the organic farming project, we decided to support and give them the compost at no cost. We are very impressed with the initiative to address their need, instead of waiting for, or depending on someone else to do it for them.”
Muller says they hope to develop an available 1000square meters of land into an organic farm – a project that is open to anyone who wishes to get involved. – NDN Staffer