Support Blessings Eco Preparatory School Container

The Harvest Project is a mobile NPO which enters complex environments where children are at risk concerning conflict, racism, nationality status, pollution, crime, and humanitarian injustice. It is also an ally which supports and creates a voice for individual eco warriors and communities in today’s world through the medium of documentary. The project aims to provide less fortunate children with a place of safety, nutrition and eco sustainable life skills and knowledge. We believe it doesn’t matter how bad a child’s environment is, we can still create a sign of hope for their future through recognition, love and eco conservation. A vital part of our project is providing children at a early age with the knowledge of how to harvest their own food and to conserve the land. This creates a certain set of skills which can be used to ensure them with salvation in a unpredictable future through respect and conservation of the land which will provide for them. The Harvest Project partnered with a school called Blessings Eco Preparatory School which was formed in a settlement of recyclers called Plastic City in Ekurhuleni Gauteng. The crèche was first founded when a small girl named Blessing was found dying after accidentally consuming poison. The lady who managed to save her life decided she will open a place of safety for the increasing amount of children in Plastic City. The settlement has always owned a complicated and mostly negative relationship with the municipality and the rest of the town of Brakpan. The settlement has become a smoke screen for theft, illegal mining and a huge problem for toxic pollution through the burning of plastic. The burning is creating health concerns for themselves, the children and the rest of the town. This is creating big problems between communities as it’s a uncaring minority in the settlement which doesn’t listen to internal laws and in the bigger picture is creating a bad image for everyone including law abiding recyclers which have nowhere else to go and are actually doing a service which benefits us all. It also being said the burning is taking place due to the municipality not providing them with bins to get rid of the left over rubbish after sorting. There are municipal and police threats saying all the inhabitants must leave due to the land not being safe for human dwelling as there could be present Dolomite. The reality is people have lived here for over 10 years and it’s their home now and they are not moving. We have been offered a beautiful container made by bright kid foundation and sponsored by shoprite. However they need permission to bring the containers onto municipal land if it does belong to them, which is also a unclear assurity. We approached the municipality and the department of social development as we are desperate. We have even offered our help to the municipality to aid with the problems they face with Plastic City to try and create solutions and peace for a better future for all. These children are in a place that owns threats of pollution, police conflicts, xenophobia, and lack of communication and human rights. These children are innocent in this fight between the community and the outside forces. Our present school structure is dilapited and a risk for the children as the rains have arrived and terrible leaking has began. The permission process is taking very long and there are negative rumours being shared. We wish to make the school not just a ECD center but also a humanitarian camp for children that are born here but not registered and seeking asylum. The school is also available for everyone in the area, not just plastic city. It also encourges a future of peace in South Africa between all types of cultures and people. So far shoprite are aiding us with monthly food from the Lunchbox fund, they are providing training through the Early Care Foundation and are aiding us with a garden planted by Food &Trees for Africa.