THREE girls from a Hammanskraal primary school have scooped top honours in a national competition that celebrates green living and healthy eating.
Gomolemo Mmoke (13), a grade 7 pupil, Lesedi Mokone (12), a grade 6 pupil, and Lethabo Mawela (12), a grade 7 pupil from Molefe Mooke Primary School in Dilopye, Hammanskraal in Tshwane, brought home the EduPlant 2025 National Schools Greening Competition 1st Place Cluster School award on 5 October 2025.
Gomolemo said: "This is our garden that takes care of us."
She said she loves gardens because they help fight poverty and provide food.
Another pupil, Lesedi, said: "At EduPlant, we enjoyed ourselves a lot. We were able to win first prize. We are proud of our garden."
She said planting also helps protect the environment.
Lethabo said: "We learnt a lot about crop gardening. It doesn't matter that we are girls. We want to become farmers. We want to achieve our dreams and have a proper garden."
She said they plant different vegetables, including herbs.
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Principal Magdeline Thobejane said: "We've been involved in EduPlant for several years now. We're passionate about the environment. We get pupils involved in activities like gardening."
She said these pupils won against public mainstream national schools and most pupils involved are grades 6 and 7.
"The future in terms of agriculture is bright. This is the first award in Gauteng for 31 years. We won R30 000, a certificate and trophy," she said.
Thobejane said they sell vegetables and pupils eat them too.
Grade 1 teacher Lina Dooka said: "I'm the happiest teacher in the whole world. I'm happy to give knowledge and skills to these pupils."
She said over 25 pupils take part in the garden. She said they teach pupils many things about gardening, including how to make beds, plant, and make compost.
Parent Letlhogonolo Mmoke (30) said: "We are excited about the hard work and dedication shown by these kids. When you want to be a farmer, you need to be very patient."
She said these kids never gave up on seeing their dream come true.
"We are very happy to see kids doing gardening. The rate of unemployment is very high in South Africa. We are certain the future of our country looks bright," she said.
Laura Moeletsi, circuit manager for Circuit 3 Tshwane North, said: "We want to see these pupils going out in South Africa and the world, continuing with their skills, creating jobs. I see farmers of the future. I will visit their farms and follow them up wherever they go."
