How Shaun Du Bruyn is transforming Bothasig through community gardening

At just 22 years old, resident Shaun Du Bruyn is helping to restore more than a garden in Bothasig; he is helping to rebuild a sense of community.

 An assistant teacher currently studying education, Mr. Du Bruyn said he has chosen to spend his free time volunteering at the Bothasig Community Food Garden, offering his help despite having no funds to purchase proper gardening equipment.

Originally from Limpopo, Mr Du Bruyn says his love for gardening began in his childhood, when he would help his grandparents tend to their garden.

 Although he admits he was not born with green fingers, he remembers the excitement of watching something planted in the soil grow into food that would later be shared at the family table.

That simple experience stayed with him, he said

He discovered the Bothasig Community Food Garden through social media and immediately felt drawn to the project, believing it could once again serve as a meaningful resource for residents.

Around the same time, Mr Du Bruyn said he was reading Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope by Johann Hari, which explores alternative approaches to mental well-being and highlights gardening as a therapeutic activity that helps calm the mind and relieve stress.

Although he does not suffer from mental illness himself, Mr Du Bruyn said he believes the garden could offer a peaceful escape for community members who may be facing personal challenges. 

He says working in the garden allows him time for reflection and brings him a sense of calm, something he hopes others will also find among the plants and soil.

Mr Du Bruyn also believes helping people is part of his purpose. 

He shared that he felt called to build the garden with the belief that, in doing so, lives within the community would also be strengthened.

He said his vision was to create a space that produces organic fruits and vegetables, helping families eat healthier while reducing reliance on store-bought, genetically modified foods.

“Working in the garden just allows me to spend time in my thoughts and brings me peace, which is what I’d love for others to find. The Lord spoke to me and told me that if I would build the garden, he would build the people, and I listened,” he said.

So far, approximately eight community members have assisted with revitalising the space, which was once neglected and overgrown. 

Mr Du Bruyn said the project’s success depends on continued community involvement, particularly through sharing gardening knowledge and lending a hand with tasks such as weeding, watering, building, and keeping the area clean and secure.

While he works with what he has, he said that additional tools such as compost, seedlings, pruning equipment, gloves, watering tools, wheelbarrows, and bricks to complete keyhole gardens would greatly support the project.

He regularly shares his working times on Facebook, inviting residents to join him.

What keeps him going, he says, is the steady progress. 

If you would like to contact him, you can call or Whatsapp him at 072 624 7278 or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.