Planted for children, food security and community wellbeing, the Kids Thyme Kitchen Garden will now also stand as a lasting tribute to the life and legacy of the late Rekha Ramjogi, following the unveiling of a memorial plaque at the Phoenix Child Welfare (PCW). The unveiling took place on Friday, 2 October.
The garden was commemorated in the presence of Rekha Ramjogi’s family, community representatives, children, PCW staff and distinguished representatives of the Ramakrishna Order. It celebrates Ramjogi’s contribution, values and enduring impact on the lives of others. More than simply a food garden, it provided children with an opportunity to learn about growing food, caring for the environment and understanding the importance of nutrition, responsibility, teamwork and self-sufficiency.
Paying tribute to his mother, Adhikar Ramjogi said the garden represented an idea that could continue to grow and benefit others. “We are not simply unveiling a garden. We are unveiling an idea. An idea that something small, when given care, patience and dedication, can grow into something that sustains others and life as we know it.”
He said the sustainable greenhouse and kitchen garden had been designed to give children practical experience in growing and nurturing vegetables for use within the child welfare homes. “The values this project is intended to cultivate are environmental awareness, practical skills, responsibility, teamwork and self-sustainability.”
The memorial plaque was unveiled during a special commemorative programme that included prayers, reflections on Rekha’s life, spiritual addresses and the planting of a tree.
The programme was directed by PCW founding member and a longstanding associate of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, Dr Muni Kooblal. Welcoming guests, Dr Kooblal described the occasion as a historic one for the PCW and the broader community. “Today is indeed a very historic day as we assemble to honour the life and legacy of Rekha Ramjogi,” he said.
Dr Kooblal also reflected on the longstanding relationship between the PCW and the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa. He noted that he has been associated with the Ramakrishna Centre for more than 50 years, while PCW Director Aroona Chetty has been associated with the Centre for 37 years. “So we are one family,” he said.
The commemorative proceedings opened with a prayer led by Revered Swami Swatmaramanandaji Maharaj, President of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, a position he has held since August 2022.
The event also featured spiritual reflections by Revered Swami Divyabodhanandaji Maharaj, Spiritual Director and Secretary of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre in Lusaka, Zambia, and Revered Swami Manyanandaji Maharaj, Resident Monk at the Vedanta Centre in Adelaide, Australia.
During the ceremony, children presented tokens to the Swamis and received special kids’ packs provided by the Rekha Ramjogi Trust. The highlight of the day was the unveiling of the memorial plaque at the Kids Thyme Kitchen Garden. Guests then walked through the garden, where children presented plants to the Swamis, before a tree was planted as a symbol of growth, continuity and remembrance. The blowing of the conch by Reshmi Maharaj marked the garden ceremony, before the Swamis joined the children in planting the tree.
For PCW, the garden represented an important connection between remembrance and the future. The garden also comes at an important time in response to food insecurity affecting vulnerable children and families in the communities it serves. The memorial garden therefore carries a message that extends beyond the commemoration itself: That a life of service can continue to make a difference through the lives of others, and that something planted in remembrance can continue to nourish future generations.
