THE Mount Gambier Migrant Resource Centre will launch its community vegetable garden for elderly refugees tomorrow.
Members of the centre’s Seniors Lifeskills Group have been working extensively over the past few months to plan the garden.
Members planted seeds and seedlings of their choice at the Eleanor Street premises at the start of spring.
The multi-faceted project has also helped teach participants to undertake systematic planning for the garden ahead of planting.
“Our volunteers took them to the shops, where they learnt about rainwater tanks, irrigation and sustainable gardening,” centre manager Anelia Blackie said.
“Due to their age, this particular group – who are from Burma and the Congo – find it very hard to learn English, so in every step of the project, their vocabulary improves.”
The vegetable garden has been made possible thanks to the Stand Like Stone Foundation and a OneFortyOne Plantations Community Capacity Building Grant.
“Apart from learning many things about life in Australia, the impact of the project on the mental health of our seniors cannot be stressed enough,” Ms Blackie said.
“All of our seniors were persecuted in Burma and driven off their land where they made a living planting food, so this helps to restore their self-respect and confidence as they rebuild their lives in Mount Gambier.”
A ribbon and cake cutting ceremony will be held at the launch at 10am, teaching the refugee community about an Australian custom they are not familiar with.
“We will also plant a time capsule in the garden with photographs and the names of the seniors who are involved in the project,” Ms Blackie said.
“The time capsule gives us another chance to teach the group about an Australian custom and so the project is about more than just planting and growing vegetables.”
Representatives from Stand Like Stone Foundation, OneFortyOne Plantations and Boandik Aged Care will be among the guests to attend the launch, where they will enjoy homemade food by the seniors group.
