Grootbos Foundation Monthly Update | March 2025

16 April

Foundation

March was an exciting month in all spheres of the Foundation programmes. From promising young sports stars to entrepreneurship success stories, here is the latest news from the Grootbos Foundation. 

A Promising Athlete

This is Eyam Valashiya, one of the Grootbos Foundation’s ‘Guppy’ paddlers who raced at the Century City Sprint Race, held in Cape Town.

His sprint time qualified him to participate in the SA Schools Championships, with nine other paddlers. The team is planning their road trip to Gauteng - a highlight on its canoeing sprint calendar. 

Chess Starts in Stanford

Grootbos Foundation is thrilled to have launched its first official beginner's chess programme. 

Chess is a game that straddles sport and culture while developing young minds. Taught by Coach de Wet, we are excited to see its impact on the young team members.

Girls' Health Comes First

Natasha Bredekamp, our Sports Development Programme Manager, was invited to participate in a panel discussion at the Sports For Social Change Network Summit at Artscape in Cape Town. Natasha shared her experience and insight into delivering a menstrual health programme with a core focus of allowing girls free, easy, dignified access to sanitary pads so that they can participate in all school and after-school activities just like boys can.

A Pretty Inspiring Story

Pretty’s entrepreneurship story is inspiring. 

Nangamso Pretty Nojaja, known by her team as Pretty, started her alien clearing business in 2023 when she used funding she received as part of the Entrepreneurship Programme to purchase a chainsaw. Now, Pretty employs five permanent staff members and has been able to buy herself a bakkie. She even employs her husband as a chainsaw operator, a key skill for site clearing and invasive plant clearing contracts.

Pretty and her team have been integral in keeping the Grootbos reserve clear of alien, invasive plants. 

The Chelsea Flower Show Countdown

Congratulations to Leon Kluge (right), pictured here with Tristan Woudberg (middle) and Tanya Visser (left), at the special reveal of Leon's design for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025. What a stunning design this is, which holds the hearts and pride of all South Africans. We are looking forward to seeing it all come together in London in May 2025.