Yyyyyyyes!... I'm hearing Thomas Mapfumo, Stella Chiweshe.... and a lot, LOT more soundtracking this project! Hahaha!!.... Love it! Your project makes me very happy & excited!... I know I'm probably dreaming, but this kind of vision is exactly what we at Mud Fun Australia aspire to! (we have Pick My Projects @ Brunswick North West P.S & Pascoe Vale)... I wish you the very best!!!
African Australian friendship garden
Improving mental health and building community through gardening and friendship.
Project details
Suggested by: Keith
Project partner: Moreland Community Gardening
Region
Northern Metro
Budget
Votes
256 votes received
This project did not receive enough votes to be successful.
Spread the word
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The “African friendship garden” will be a space within Pentridge Community Garden where members of the African diaspora come together with local gardeners to grow food and build community.
The initiative draws from the Zimbabwean “friendship bench” tradition, providing a “mental health first aid” resource for the community.
The project will grow traditional African crops like maize and peanuts (supported by the University of Melbourne), collaborating with Pentridge Community Garden members. The project will also include events that allow the wider community to celebrate the project and share the food we grow.
Members of the local African-Australian community are vulnerable to mental health challenges as they build support networks, economic independence and friendships in a new country. Some have experienced severe trauma, and social isolation which is exacerbated by stigma towards mental health issues.
The African friendship garden will provide:
-A meeting place, for people to connect and build community, reducing social isolation
-Access to credentialed nurse and Mental Health First Aid trained community leaders
-The opportunity to explore pathways to further services
-A source of fresh food including traditional crops not readily available in Australia
-A way to keep traditions alive.
Project details
Suggested by: Keith
Project partner: Moreland Community Gardening
Region
Northern Metro
Budget
Votes
256 votes received
This project did not receive enough votes to be successful.
Spread the word
Before participating in Pick My Project please log in or register to YourSAy.
Comments
Comments closed
* aspire to and would love to collaborate with!
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A great idea.
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Great Project! Good luck!
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Wonderful
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What a wonderful idea! It's gets my vote!
Thank you for your support and please vote for us.
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Woohoo! Fantastic idea!! Best of luck and thank you to all the organisers and contributors for this project, and to the African-Australian community.
Hi Erin,
Thank you. We hope to make a difference and you can help us achieve this goal for our community!
I hope we have your vote, please share and you are welcome to join us at the garden.
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HI Keith, great idea. I hope you’re successful! As an African from a neighbouring country, I’m aware of the Friendship Bench and Kuvhura Pfungwa intervention system created In Zimbabwe. It has been incredibly successful, and led to great changes in communities. I think it would be beneficial to readers of this project to share more on how it structurally works, as the term ‘Friendship Bench’ doesn’t reflect the training and work that goes into supporting that system.
Thank you for the support, we greatly appreciate, especially on the success of the friendship bench. It is something has been replicated and modified in many parts of the world eg schools too!! We hope that with the funding, we can build on the framework to suit our African Australian community. Happy to keep you informed and involved. We hope that we have your vote too!
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Great idea, good luck Keith!
Hi Sally,
Thank you for the support. We will keep you informed and once again, please spread the word.
Regards
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“A comment has been removed from this page as it breaches our community guidelines. To read up further on the guidelines, find them here: www.pickmyproject.vic.gov.au/community-guidelines”
Hi
Thank you for removing the comment that was in breach of the guidelines. Is it possible for us to have a copy of the comment?
Kind Regards
Keith Bhebhe
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What a fantastic project Keith, Well done.Nicely delivered and excellent 👌🏾
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What a fantastic initiative. Mental health is a world wide issue that needs to be discussed openly and honestly.
It is the little things that make the difference, and the African Australian Friendship Garden is a positive step in bringing the issues to the surface in a friendly, community orientated level. Well done and all the best with the project.
Hi Shayher,
Thank you,
You absolutely right about the need to create an environment where people can be comfortable to share their challenges and also to be able start the conversation.
You don't need to an expert, sometimes its as simple as asking someone if they are ok!
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Welldone Keith and friends! Looking forward to the gardening and all that it will bring!!
Blessings!
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Great initiatives! As the Australia Global Youth Mental Forum Coordinator, I would like to endorse the African Australian Friendship Garden. Well done Keith and the team!
Thank you Jude, greatly appreciate your endorsement and we hope we get through and we can make a difference. We hope you have voted and we will definitely keep you informed. Thank you for your support.
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Great initiative bhudi! I’ll bring the kids along one sunny Sunday to check out the garden.
Thank you Sharon,
Please bring the whole family, we need to teach the children too about health sources of food and keep them active, away from the play station and TV, lol
We look forward to seeing you at the garden and we hope you vote and please share the message!
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Great project
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Congratulations this sounds very promising, I look forward to following the project.
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fabulous initiative - mental health, gardening, diversity and community connection
Thank you Swagata, we appreciate your support.
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Working in mental health and being a keen gardener, this is a great initiative, a fantastic way to support the wider community.
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This is a great initiative! Really looking forward to see it come to life.
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Great idea, Keith. Best of luck.
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Great initiative Keith, you've got my vote!
Good afternoon Thomas,
It's good to hear that we have your support and we hope that our project will make a difference!!
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Great work, Keith. Got my vote :)
Thank you for you vote Waybeaux and this is a good start.
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Good luck, I love this initiative. We need more opportunities to make better community connections!
Good morning Kate,
Thank you, we definitely need more creative ideas to reach out to those who are vulnerable in our communities and beyond. Thank you for your support!!
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Great initiative Keith...
Thank you Zeynep, appreciate your support!
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emilyp
17 Sep 2018
Hi Keith good luck, i nearly forgot to vote! Cheers emily