Gardening, a small input for a great sustainability
Every detail is an important part of the concept of The Good Village – and therefore even small donations are invaluable. In this case, 2 400 EUR from Ollie och Elof Ericsson Stiftelse (Ollie & Elof Ericsson Foundation) means better nutrition, agricultural knowledge, secure use of scarce resources and confidence building among children.
Surviving in this drought stricken region has always been challenging. The slightest disturbance in the seasonal weather may bring hunger but when malnourished children are welcomed to the pre-school, they quickly bounce back and recover. In Yennenga’s schools, every child gets a sound and versatile meal also with fruits and vegetables thanks to our garden nearby.
But with this donation, we are now constructing also a separate school garden. The children have done their best to cultivate vegetables and build fences with sticks but with all animals browsing the area, it’s been a lost battle. With a proper fence, pupils can maintain and improve beds for many species and also plant fruit trees for shade and soil conservation.
Furthermore, running their own garden also gives the school a chance to teach so called kitchen gardening from the very base and how to succeed with a minimum of water. A crucial knowledge in the Sahel which the children bring with them home, becoming proud advocates of improved nutrition.
This may look like a small input in the project – but it may well prove to be a most fundamental brick in order to make it sustainable.
