Our Team
Abeida Charles
Founder & Director
Abeida Charles is a founding member and Director of Bo-Kaap Helpers Garden, where she leads with a deep commitment to community and the earth. Born and raised in Bo-Kaap, she comes from a large, close-knit family and has loved gardening since childhood. Her passion for growing food flourished when she helped establish the garden, facilitated by her permaculture training with Abalimi Bezekhaya. For Abeida, tending the land is an act of faith—she nurtures the garden for the glory of Allah, creating a space that provides fresh food, strengthens community ties, and honors the environment.
Abeida oversees daily operations in the garden to ensure everything runs smoothly, from planting schedules to material sourcing. She also organizes special events and leads the seniors group, fostering a strong sense of community within the garden. She is an exceptional cook, regularly preparing meals for guests of the garden and showcasing the rich flavors of Cape Malay cuisine. She takes pride in using fresh, garden-grown ingredients to craft dishes that celebrate the heritage of Bo-Kaap. Join a garden tour and experience her exceptional cooking firsthand!
Ebrahim Williams
Director
Ebrahim Williams is a dedicated educator, entrepreneur, and lifelong gardener with deep roots in Bo-Kaap. A longtime math and science teacher who has also lectured abroad, he now runs a local shop in addition to his tutoring work. His love for gardening was instilled by his mother and continues in his own kitchen garden, where he enjoys propagating plants like curry leaf, basil, and celery. For the past five years,
Ebrahim has been an active volunteer at Bo-Kaap Helpers Garden, recently joining as a director. Amid his busy life in Bo-Kaap, he finds peace in the garden, where he waters, plants, and propagates. He especially appreciates how the garden had helped individuals in the neighborhood start home gardens of their own. Ebrahim's daughter also contributes her creativity by making art for the space, making their involvement a true family effort.
Muhammad Ilyas
Director
Muhammad Ilyas has been involved with the garden for over five years, where he has gained a deep respect for the garden's role in the community and its power to bring people together, and well as technical knowledge on permaculture and organic gardening. Ilyas deeply values spending time with the seniors, who are able to impart their knowledge of ancestral legacy. He also enjoys teaching his children about the journey of food from soil to table.
Born and raised in Bo-Kaap, Ilyas is a sixth-generation member of the neighborhood, is a registered Cape Town tour guide, and a Director of The Bo-Kaap Tourism Association. Through his walking tours of Bo-Kaap and the City Bowl, he shares the rich history of the community, which traces its roots to enslaved people and political exiles from Southeast Asia. His 10+ years living on Robben Island have also given him unique insights into South Africa's historical landscape. For Ilyas, the garden is more than a green space—it's a facilitator of community connectedness, a space that reinforces his belief in God, and in the importance of patience and trusting processes.
Ilyas leads the tours in the garden, during which he shares his unique knowledge of Bo-Kaap and shares his love for the garden.
Shafiek Jacobs
Director
Shafiek Jacobs is a seasoned professional with a background in logistics and technology who has called Bo-Kaap home for 25 years. A passionate advocate for both animals and nature, he serves as a director for a local nonprofit dedicated to caring for Bo-Kaap’s feral cats.
Safiek's love for gardening was shaped by his parents, and he now tends to small patches of herbs and chilies at home. Initially drawn to the garden during Ramadan to collect spinach, he soon became an active volunteer, focusing on weeding and watering, and recently became a Director. For Shafiek, the garden is a space of learning, relaxation, and community—values he shares with his children, who often volunteer alongside him. He believes gardens like Bo-Kaap Helpers Garden create lasting legacies, preserving knowledge that can be passed down for generations.
Thandiswa Mdazuka
Director
Thandy grew up in a rural area in the Eastern Cape, where her grandparents' cattle farm and vegetable garden introduced her to the world of agriculture. In 2020, Thandy began her agriculture studies at Boland College in Worcester. She gained practical experience through a Work Integrated Training program in the Eastern Cape where she worked with both animals and crops.
In February 2024, she began working with The Bo-Kapp Helpers Garden through an internship program with the Western Cape Department of Agriculture.. Thandy loves seeing plants grow from seed to maturity, and has a special love for nurturing her moringa plants. Currently, she is conducting an experiment on the effects of growing conditions on root vegetables. For her, the garden is a place to connect with nature, share knowledge, and support the community.