AIDS orphans are among the most forgotten children. 250 children will eat food from their own personal gardens, giving them nutritious vegetables to complement the milk and eggs produced by livestock they also receive. As the children learn how to plant, harvest and produce their food, they learn valuable life skills so that as adults, they can fend for themselves.
Food is scarce for AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe. In fact, it is scarce for most of the population due to a sustained drought and this year, intense flooding. Children are going to bed hungry, making it hard for them to concentrate on school work and their daily activities. They are sometimes found eating dirt or trying to seek out a meal out of leaves from any twig they find. If the children are HIV+, they need food to keep infections at bay and their bodies strong.
This project will provide training in conservation farming to the eldest child in an orphan household, including composting, seed saving, planting, and other topics. Drought resistant seeds will be given to the kids to plant gardens. Monitoring will be provided so that the kids are not left alone while gardens grow. Kale, spinach, maize, tomatoes, peppers, squashes, and other nutritious food will be harvested for them to eat. Seeds are saved for next year, building sustainability.
Transportation, monitoring, seeds, trainings, and ongoing support are all part of this project so that the children don't incur any costs, but instead, receive the benefits. 250 children and guardians will receive training, food and follow up counseling and monitoring. This, in turn, will arrest the vicious cycle of hunger and imported food distribution year after year. AND, the children will no longer need to miss school due to hunger and the inability to concentrate.
