The school is located in Pacaltsdorp in George, and has approximately 1500 learners (Grade 8 to Grade 12). There is a hostel on the school grounds providing limited number of student accommodation.
There is an existing food kitchen that feeds all the learners daily, including meals for the hostel residents. The intention of Pacaltsdorp High School going forward is to re-invest in the existing vegetable garden which has fallen into disarray as a result of a lack of project funding to continue with the maintenance and upkeep thereof. There is capacity on the school grounds to grow food gardens capable of feeding the school goers as well as the 3-meals-a-day feeding requirements of the hostel residents.
A small team of ground-staff will oversee the trees in collaboration with the school members who are part of The Green Club.
Thank you World Memon Organisation for your ongoing support and investment in the health of our youth and educating them on the importance of trees and our natural environment in our own health and well-being.
Our Gift-a-Tree platform is one of our popular avenues for sponsoring trees towards our wildlife rehabilitation corridors, where we plant out a range of tree species in bio-mimicked forest patches in one of our three wildlife corridor rehabilitation projects.
This planting was a particularly emotional one – for all those who gifted trees to the forest pocket as well as for the team planting them out. It was the first time we were planting an entire forest pocket that was dedicated in memory of the passing of a loved one. 102 trees were gifted through the Gift a Tree platform in honour of Michelle Butler, and we planted them out, with her mom and dad, in our Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor.
Michelle’s loss cannot be replaced… yet knowing a forest pocket was planted out in her memory that itself will support many forms of life going forward, has brought a greater sense of peace and ease to the family.
“Michelle, may your soul rest in peace between these beautiful trees in the forest with the sound of the wind and the sea in your ears and the eagles soaring above…”
The school is located in Thembalethu, in George. The school has 1826 (Grade R to Grade 7) learners. It is a Section 21 school and therefore allocated financial assistance by the department primarily for teachers, assistants and ground staff, but remains responsible for ordering stationery, textbooks, paying water and lights accounts and undertaking their own general maintenance.
There is an existing food kitchen that feeds all the learners daily. The school has recently set up a vegetable garden as part of the Health Departments goals towards increasing nutritional values of food intake for the learners. Many of the learners attending Thembalethu Primary School do not have a pre-packed lunch and the need to feed the children meals at school is on the rise.
The staff and learners of Thembalethu Primary School & The Precious Tree Project Team Say THANK YOU WMO!
New Dawn Primary School is located in New Dawn Park, Pacaltsdorp, in George. The school has approximately 1200 learners (Grade 1 to Grade 7) with an additional special needs class of 15 learners. The school is a public primary school and is well maintained on the limited funds provided by the Dpt. of Education. New Dawn Park was built in 2002 and as a Section 21 school, is accordingly allocated some financial funding by the department but remains responsible for ordering stationery, textbooks, paying water and lights accounts and undertaking their own maintenance. It is a no fee institution. Community fundraising to bring in additional income into the school is required. The school is mostly absent of trees around the playing fields and outdoor areas.
There is an existing food kitchen that feeds the learners lunch. The intention of the school is to invest in a vegetable and fruit garden that can support the needs of the school kitchen.
The staff and learners of New Dawn Primary School & The Precious Tree Project Team Say THANK YOU WMO!
Today wasn’t just about putting roots in the ground; it was about the incredible spirit of community and the power of collective action to nurture our precious environment. We had the pleasure of hosting not one, but two wonderful planting sessions, each with its own unique charm.
Morning Bloom: THYME to Plant
Our morning began with a heartwarming visit from the vibrant seniors of The Garden Thyme Group, hailing all the way from Knysna. This remarkable group, aptly named, certainly proved that age is no barrier to making a tangible difference. They arrived with enthusiasm and a generous spirit, having not only sponsored a number of trees but also rolled up their sleeves to plant them themselves!
We were thrilled to welcome these green-thumbed individuals to the Shamboh site. In a touching gesture, the trees planted during this session were each dedicated in honour of a member of The Garden Thyme Group, sponsored directly by the members themselves. Imagine the legacy these trees will represent, a living tribute to the individuals who care so deeply about our planet.
Witnessing this planting was inspiring – a powerful reminder that every generation has a vital role to play in environmental stewardship. They created a beautiful connection with the land and each other.
Afternoon Flourish: A Mini Forest Takes Root
As the morning sun gave way to the afternoon warmth, we welcomed a different group to another newly cleared section of the Wildlife Corridor. This session focused on creating a small, vibrant mini forest pocket, thanks to the wonderful generosity of individuals who sponsored trees through our “Gift a Tree” platform.
It’s always incredibly rewarding to see the direct impact of these sponsorships. Today, we planted a significant number of trees, each one representing a thoughtful contribution from someone who believes in the power of nature and the importance of reforestation. These trees will contribute to the biodiversity of the area, providing habitat and helping to create a thriving ecosystem within this small pocket of land.
The afternoon planting session was a testament to the collective impact of individual actions. Each sponsored tree, when planted together, creates something far greater than the sum of its parts – a growing, breathing mini-forest that will benefit the environment for years to come.
A Day of Growth, Together
Today was a powerful reminder of the incredible things we can achieve when we work together. From the enthusiastic seniors of The Garden Thyme Group to the thoughtful individuals who gifted trees, every single contribution, big or small, plays a vital role in our mission.
We extend our deepest gratitude to The Garden Thyme Group for their visit, their sponsorship, and their inspiring energy. And to everyone who has gifted a tree through our platform, thank you for your support!
Click here if you would like to Gift A Tree! We have selected 11 of our favourite endemic forest tree species for you to choose from. The tree species you select and sponsor in honour / celebration of a loved one, will be planted out in one of reforestation projects in the Garden Route, with a range of other species, in bio-mimicked indigenous forest patches that emulate the natural forest biome of the area.
The rehabilitation process of a corridor is not a quick one… it is labour intensive, takes commitment and is a costly exercise, so sponsorship towards the corridor is a necessary and welcome one. Terebinth Capital, who prides themselves on responsible investment, turned 10 years old and, in honour of their clients, invested in a mini-indigenous forest pocket in our Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor. We say thank you!
Sponsorships and donations in support of our wildlife corridor rehabilitation and assisted reforestation endeavours come in a number of ways. One of these is our Gift-a-Tree platform where you can gift a tree to a bio-mimicked forest pocket planted out in one of our wildlife corridors in honour of a loved one… honouring a birthday, a promotion, an anniversary or a life lived.
Gifting a Tree in our wildlife corridors in celebration of another simultaneously supports the ongoing rehabilitation activities in our local wildlife corridors. So, if you would like to Gift a tree to a special person in celebration of a birthday, an anniversary or in honour of their life, simply click here.
In 1999, children living in poor and dysfunctional communities in George, South Africa, started attending Sunday School at a local church. After an investigation, the church set up an informal wooden structure in the community where they lived to feed the children once a week. Two years later, Philip and Maryna DeVries from the USA accepted the challenge to come to build on this foundation as an NGO, and LIFE Community Services was born. They developed an outreach program and mobilised local and overseas churches, foundations, businesses and individuals to assist communities suffering deprivation. George is an area that has a high TB death rate, AIDS crisis, a high per capita alcohol abuse problem and escalating divorce rates.
LIFE was registered as a Non-Profit Organisation in March 2001 and in 2008 as a Public Benefit Organisation and is committed to developing and implementing Christian-based interventions that transform the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children in George, South Africa. The Centre is located in Conville, Thembalethu in and currently has approximately 290 learners.
There is a small established food garden on the premises and volunteers who run and maintain the vegetable garden and grounds in collaboration with the groundsmen.
The staff and learners of Life Community Services Centre & The Precious Tree Project Team Say THANK YOU WMO!
Rondevlei Learning Centre is a small community centre based in Rondevlei, George, and is the brainchild of Vinessa van Rensburg. The Learning Centre consists of 9 children who reside as weekly boarders at the Centre’s hostel rooms. RLC has been set up as a non-profit and public benefit organisation in order to assist, guide and educate underprivileged youth and to provide alternate and stimulating forms of education for those struggling with mainstream education.
The organization, as a non-profit organization, relies on sponsorship and donations and the dedicated teachers/staff and general assistants continuously involved in the Learning Centre do so on a voluntary basis.
The Centre has recently started a food and vegetable garden to supply the in-house kitchen which feeds the learners daily.
The grounds around the Centre are visibly absent of trees; the majority of the trees growing on the surrounding parts of the property are non indigenous trees (that require removing in terms of the Invasive Alien Management requirement) and that will be harvested for firewood for the Centre’s needs.
The staff and learners of the Rondevlei Learning Centre & The Precious Tree Project Team say THANK YOU WMO!
The school is located in a low socio-economic area called Parkdene in Thembalethu, George. The school has approx. 1400 learners (Grade 1 to Grade 7). The school is a Section 21 primary school and is allocated some level of funding by the Department of Education. The school itself is responsible for ordering stationery, textbooks, paying utilities (water and lights accounts) and undertaking their own maintenance. It is a no fee institution and the school is reliant on outside funding to cover its running costs.
There is an existing well-run food kitchen that feeds a certain percentage of the learners two meals per day. There is no vegetable garden to support the kitchen yet but this is on the school’s wish list as increasing numbers of the learners attending the school are not bringing pre-packed lunches and do not come to school having eaten breakfast.
The staff and learners of Parkdene Primary School & The Precious Tree Project Team say THANK YOU WMO!
