How Social Enterprise Start-Up Reel Gardening Seeks To Equip Communities With Gardening Knowledge
How Social Enterprise Start-Up Reel Gardening Seeks To Equip Communities With Gardening Knowledge. Reel Gardening is a South African social enterprise passionate about giving back. For every product it sells, Reel Gardening will donate seed tape to the many schools and communities it supports in South Africa. Reel Gardening further equips these schools and communities with the gardening knowledge and education they need to grow their own food successfully.
Reel Gardening was developed in 2002 by Claire Catherine Reid at the age of 16 to solve the problems she encountered when starting her own vegetable garden. Claire was encouraged by her teachers to enter her then newspaper and flour invention into the Eskom expo for young scientists. Claire won a gold medal at the national finals in Pretoria. She was asked how much water the product saved so she conducted a series of tests which concluded that Reel Gardening saves 80% water in the germination phase. Claire secured a start up loan through Anglo Zimile and Reel Gardening began research and development in 2008.
Reel Gardening opened the doors of its first Business premise in Illovo Johannesburg on the 12th of February 2010. Reel Gardening now operates from its own premise in Blairgowrie Johannesburg, where trial gardens are conducted. Reel Gardening has a sister Non-Profit organisation called Reel Life NPC. Whilst Reel Gardening is a social enterprise, prioritising positive social impact, Reel Life NPC can be used as the vehicle of change if necessary for the sponsoring partner. Both organisations strive to create a healthier, more connected and happier world.
However many of the people the company works with, and who want to embark on this growing journey, don’t have the capacity to purchase the Reel Gardening Products themselves. Reel Gardening is determined to help these people start their own successful vegetable gardens. It does this in 2 ways: Through its sponsored social impact projects, and internally through its Buy One Donate One business model.
