#BeFree gardening project yields first harvest

Young people participating in the #BeFree Gardening Project celebrated a major milestone last weekend when they harvested corn, spinach and potatoes for the first time since the initiative was launched last year.

The produce, grown by members of the #BeFree EcoGreen Club and #BeFree Grow Programme and young athletes from Special Olympics Namibia, will supplement meals served through the #BeFree Meals Programme at the #BeFree Youth Campus.

Launched in April 2025, the project equips out-of-school and unemployed youth, as well as young people living with intellectual disabilities, with practical horticulture skills while promoting food security and entrepreneurship.

Moreover, participants receive training in crop production, soil management, sustainable farming and environmental stewardship, helping them develop skills that could support future employment, small businesses or community gardening initiatives.

According to executive director Pauline Kahupi, the project aims to train 40 young people in horticulture and small-scale farming while creating a sustainable source of fresh produce for the meals programme.