Introduction
Growing fruits with children offers a unique chance to teach them about the importance of healthy foods and nutrition. Whether the fruit-eaters are children, animals or
impoverished neighbors - fruit trees take advantage of Mother Nature's natural resources system...and deliver shade, soil conditioning, food for wildlife...and food for
humans and our animals. And it lasts for decades! That's a lot for one simple plant to gift us with.
Green Schools Program (GSP): This is an environmental program that was designed by Ever green environmental conservation association (EGECA) as a means of conserving our environment with particular emphasis to schools
and the communities around them. This program has among its components, issues that address health, water and sanitation, environmental awareness, tree planting with particular emphasis to multipurpose trees and species especially fruit trees for nutrition in schools.
Under this program, EGECA has managed to establish 10 orchards in 10 schools in bugiri district with at least 50 fruit trees of different types. Also over 8,000 trees (for shades, firewood and ornamental purposes) have been planted in 16 schools around Bugiri and in 5 communities. Environmental Awareness too has been and is being carried out in communities and schools.
As such, the Fruits for Nutrition in Schools (FSS) project shall be a component under the Green Schools Program.
Fruits & Shades for Schools Project Content - Fruit & Shade tree planting and Environmental education
Location:
Eastern Uganda-Bugiri District
Target:
• 20 schools with an average of 850 children
• Each school planting at least 100 fruit trees & 100 shade trees
Overall goal:
To provide generations of Children and teachers with healthy nutrition options and environmental education opportunities in green compounds.
Objectives
> To enable children to enjoy healthy diets and to create a healthy eating culture within primary schools.
> To pass on environment education for protection of our environment.
> To provide good learning environments for children
Program purpose & importance of undertaking it.
There are many primary and secondary schools in Bugiri district [day, boarding or both].
Many lack good compounds suitable for studying i.e. lack shade trees. Cooking and water heating in all these schools is done using firewood which is now scarce thus experience
feeding problems. As a result, there has been massive deforestation and in many schools, expenditure on firewood accounts for 20-30% of the total school’s kitchen/boarding budget.
Pupils lack access to nutritional values derived from especially fruits which they sometimes only taste when at home during their holidays. From a study by EGECA in
Bugiri on the intake of fruits by children, Low intakes of fruit and vegetables and of milk by primary schoolchildren were established. It was found out that a majority of children are deprived of the nutritional values from fruits. Most of it is taken to markets for sale.
This project will encourage more children to taste and enjoy more fruit and vegetables and thereby reap the long-term benefits of consuming at least five portions a day
recommended for good health as both children and adults.
Tree planting is also a practical way of introducing and integrating Environmental Education in schools. Schools in different parts of the district can also be mobilized and
trained fairly quickly, with minimal logistical/administrative cost implications.
The most appropriate and sustainable solution is to support and encourage schools to establish their own tree woodlots with emphasis on diversity in tree species, with a view to achieving self-sufficiency in firewood supply, improve on nutrition and make schools livable places adequate for study meanwhile make the difference in reversing environmental degradation in Uganda.
Planned Activities under this project include:
> Fruit & Shades Tree planting - This shall involve teachers, parents and the pupils. Fruit Tree species will range from Mangoes, Avocadoes, and Jackfruits, Pawpaw, Passion fruits, Oranges and Guavas. These will be sourced from various breeders and distributed to schools.
Children shall be taught how to raise trees and fruits and they shall be expected to do this at their respective homes, teach their parents and as a result there will be a multiplier effect.
> Demonstrations on Nursery Tree Establishments - children will be taught how to raise tree nurseries, care for trees and also simple techniques of breeding such as grafting plants for better quality breeds.
> Environment Awareness - This will help pupils learn about nutritional values from fruits, the value of planting trees and how to care for them in a sustainable manner. The need for environmental conservation shall be emphasized.
> Monitoring and Evaluation - Success of this project partly relies on efficient monitoring. Fruit trees planted shall be monitored by EGECA to ensure that they are growing well and are managed as earlier agreed up on.
Expected benefits from the Green Schools Program
> At these schools, the orchards will serve many purposes; as outdoor classrooms (we expect the orchards to last for decades, giving children the opportunity to receive environmental education that would not otherwise be available to them).
> When the trees start fruiting, children will gain nutritional values from the fruits the harvest to local food banks. Besides the harvest will benefit the hungry, poor,
and needy people living in the school communities.
> Apart from getting fruits, these fruit trees can provide shades, add beauty to the school and also provide a source of income to the schools in times of excess fruiting.
> Children will be taught how to propagate seedlings and thus will be expected each to plant a fruit of their own choice at home and to encourage their parents and
guardians to follow suit.
> Increased income as a result of nurseries being established and sell of seedlings together with less spending in homes on malnutrition sicknesses.
> Environment shall be conserved in the long run
Methodology of implementation
There shall be a tripartite partnership involving globalgiving, Ever Green Environmental Conservation Association [EGECA] and the Schools communities. The
contribution of each partner will be as follows:
For global giving :
• Funding;
• Publicity & awareness creation
• Use global giving branch network as focal points for facilitating regular interactions
• Technical support and oversight to EGECA
For EGECA:
• Project design, planning & management
• Supply of high quality, fast growing fruit tree seedlings
• Technical support and oversight on tree planting and management
• Training of selected schools
• Monitor and evaluate
• Produce report and accountability to Advocate for earth
For Schools Communities
A major advantage of working with schools in terms of tree planting is that they are
permanent institutions with adequate land, labor (especially children), and management capacity from head teachers and teachers.
• Planting and maintaining of the trees
• Publicity and awareness creation
• Give reports to EGECA
Indicative budget estimates for the Project Approach option
Assumptions
• Project to start off in Bugiri district covering both Urban and Rural schools (both
Primary and Secondary shall be considered)
• 20 both primary and secondary schools to be selected for participation using defined criteria to be designed
• Each school to plant at least 100 fruit tree seedlings & 100 shade trees
Projections
• Expect pupils to have fruits for pupils to improve on their nutrition
• Multiplier effect of the conservation knowledge to the wider communities
• Source of income to the schools through the sale of fruits
• The environment will be conserved.
