www.greenfutures.co.za

Based at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve the college opened in 2003 and is committed to "building sustainable livelihoods through nature-based education".

Each year twelve students from nearby townships are selected to participate in their horticulture, landscaping and life-skills course. Most have no prior knowledge of indigenous plants, but within a year they are brimming with enthusiasm and ready to put their new knowledge and skills to work. The course combines essential life skills like personal finance, business skills, driving and health education, with knowledge of environmental and conservation issues, and skills of horticulture and landscaping. Classroom sessions, practical involvement in nursery and landscaping projects, and field trips to interesting places make learning relevant, stimulating and fun. Already two cohorts of students have graduated from this exciting programme. What is most encouraging is that all Green Futures graduates have either been snapped up by employers or, in one notable case, opted for self-employment.

Successful graduates
Guide Nzuzo Nkhili has made such an impression at Grootbos that the South African government recently honoured him with a merit award for his contribution to eco-tourism. Graduates have also found employment at landscaping companies, nurseries and a local golf course, where their specialist knowledge of indigenous plants and water-wise gardening is greatly valued.

After graduating in 2004, Nozuko Pelem decided to share what she had learnt at Green Futures with friends in Masakhane township who had been unable to attend the course. She started a project called Siyakula, meaning "we are growing up" in isiXhosa. Based at the local crèche, she is teaching three students to grow vegetables and propagate indigenous plants.

Becoming sustainable
Seed funding to establish the Green Futures College was donated by the German Development Bank (DEG), which matched an investment by Grootbos Private Nature Reserve on a Rand-for-Rand basis. In terms of the original grant, Green Futures was expected to become self-funding after two years. This was the incentive for some creative thinking that resulted in the college building economic sustainability into the design of its courses.

All students spend about 20% of their time at college working in the Green Futures plant nursery and assisting with the fynbos landscaping business. This not only provides them with essential practical experience but also enables them to generate funds through the sale of plants and provision of landscaping services. These earnings are invested into the Grootbos Green Futures Foundation, which helps to finance students attending the following year's course. The Green Futures nursery has more than 100 species of local indigenous groundcovers, bulbs, shrubs and trees. It is open week-days from 8:30 to 16:30 and on Saturday mornings. The College also undertakes indigenous water-wise landscaping projects in the Overstrand region. For more information contact Green Futures on 028 3848044, fax on 028 3848100 or info@greenfutures.co.za