Many of the local schools in Madagascar struggle with having too little food for their students. There is simply not enough to go around. Shipping in food or money is only a short-term measure, it is not a long-term solution. We have had conversations with four seperate villages and together we have decided to help kick-start a more sustainable food program, something that will start will be built from the ground up and maintained through local support.
The way we do this is by helping students grow their own food and put more vegetables in the school kitchens. We can help grow the gardens by providing tools for terracing and tilling, seeds for planting, and teaching conservative ways of watering. If families are able to produce food for themselves and perhaps a bit extra, they can contribute to the school lunch program or even sell some for added income. Tools, seeds, and irrigation will go a long way. And we've even talked about adding in livestock, like poultry!
In the end, we believe that school and family gardens can and will make a real difference in the lives of this community. In the lives of our children. The people in each village will be equipped to provide for themselves and solve their problems. We will grow together, literally, working with our hands in the garden. And we will grow together as a community, helping one another.