A vision to show students not just how to farm — but how to farm for the future and involve them through the whole process. Sikhandzabantfu High School in Manzini, Bulunga Village, Eswatini, wanted to feed themselves healthy and nutritious meals and a climate-smart hydroponics farm was a suitable option.
With the generous support of Medea e.V. — a German-based NGO with offices in Eswatini — that dream started to take shape. At Lema Agrivest, we packed our tools, loaded our trailer, and left Maseru before sunrise, at exactly 5 a.m.
We crossed two borders — through Maseru Bridge into SA, then through Oshoek into Eswatini — on a 12-hour drive powered by purpose. We arrived at our lodge at around 9 p.m.
Day 1:
We hit the ground running and hit our first hurdle just as fast, as they say it’s best to fail fast. Local hardware stores didn’t have the materials we needed, or rather in the quantities we needed. We crisscrossed town trying to find parts, hauling supplies over long distances. When we finally made it to the school, the welcome from the principal and team made it all worth it.
Day 2–3:
The work was intense. The sun was unforgiving. Every spark of metal was a step closer to our goal. Our metal work maestro worked non-stop but the covering structure went up beam by beam and significant progress was seen. Due to pressure, miscalculation of materials happened and more unforeseen delays were encountered. But we adjusted. We pushed on. We were now shot on critical resources and running out of time.
Day 4–5:
And then — something beautiful happened: the students joined us.
At first, they were shy, unsure, holding seedlings like glass. Then something clicked. They got it, not just the technique but the why behind it. You could see it on their faces. We showed them how hydroponics works — how to circulate nutrients, how to transplant crops, how farming can be clean, efficient and tech-driven.
By the third seedling? They were pros.
Local community members stopped by just to see what we were building. Some had never seen this kind of farming before. Curiosity turned into excitement.
By the end of Day 5, we had installed a 990-crop system and a 54-crop demo unit, complete with plastic roll-ups and water circulation.
Day 6:
We came back to walk the rows, tighten the final bolts, and admire what we’d built — together. We celebrated with a team braai, shared stories, and soaked in the joy of turning an idea into something real. Something that will grow food — and nurture minds.
Day 7:
We said our goodbyes. Crossed back into Lesotho. Left behind a system… and took with us a memory we’ll never forget.
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