Welcome to Edenville, a community on the brink of transformation.
Edenville forms part of the Ngwathe Local Municipality, based in Parys in the Free State Province of South Africa.
Edenville is embarking on an extraordinary journey from neglect to prosperity, inviting everyone to observe, support, and participate.
A Vision for Change
In 2019, a household survey revealed a pressing challenge: 72% of Edenville’s residents rely on government grants despite the area generating over R20 million in income. The absence of essential services and shops forces residents to travel 40 to 50 kilometres for basic necessities, perpetuating poverty in the community.
In response, the Sernick Group, through its development arm SerDev, launched a groundbreaking community development initiative. The program aims to empower residents to lead their own growth, with support for establishing a social enterprise to drive economic and social development.
The Garden of Eden: A Collaborative Effort
The future of Edenville centres on food security, horticulture, food processing, and local economic development to create jobs and opportunities. This initiative operates as a Private-Public Partnership, inviting NGOs, funding institutions, and companies to join under the unifying brand, Eden. Regular updates are shared on the Facebook page, Edenville Grows.
Key milestones include:
The Eden Joint Venture, destined to become a sustainable anchor business, has achieved remarkable progress:
Training over 400 residents in food cultivation despite limited water resources.
Launching the Garden of Eden project, supported by the IDC’s Special Intervention Programme, on land leased from Sernick.
Establishing primary cooperatives in partnership with SEDFA, ensuring sustainable growth and market readiness.
The Eden Joint Venture, destined to become a sustainable anchor business, has achieved remarkable progress:
- A fully equipped Eden Community Centre featuring offices, a training room, and a kitchen.
- Facilities like greenhouse tunnels, a refrigerated container, and a van to support agricultural production.
- Development of a Montreal Commercial Site and allocation of 10 hectares of land for agriculture on a renewable lease. This land is provided free of charge from Sernick
- SMME training programs and plans for future IT, business, and after-school centres.
Partnerships with organisations like Temong and experts like chartered accountant Precious Mvulvane from GAD Consulting Services further strengthen the initiative.
From Seeds to Success
- Sernick launches the Edenville development program. 2019
- AgriSETA funding enables food production training for 64 residents. 2020
- A soup kitchen provides meals for over 500 residents during tough economic times. 2021
- Over 400 residents were trained in food cultivation despite limited water resources. 2022
- SerDev started consulting with the IDC and applied for funding. Three community members win “Best Backyard Vegetable Garden” prizes at the Women in Agribusiness Summit. 2023
- Major developments include cooperative establishment, greenhouse construction, and the first major spinach harvest. 2024
- January marks the commercial sale of Eden-grown produce. 2025
Watch Us Grow
The greenhouse tunnels, situated at the Eden Community Centre and the Montreal Commercial Site, have been a resounding success. Watch us plant, grow, and sell our produce on our Facebook page!
Join the Journey
The Eden project demonstrates the power of collaboration, turning a vision of prosperity into reality. From individuals to organisations, your support is vital. Together, we can cultivate growth, empower communities, and create a thriving Edenville.
Join the Journey
Follow our progress and be part of this inspiring transformation. Join us in the Garden of Eden.
If you are a farmer in the Edenville area interested in diversifying your livestock farming by planting vegetables and fruit, please get in touch with us to learn how we can market or process your produce for you.
