By Mary Katherine Deen | Project Leader
During the first growing season in our Burundi 4-H Sister School Gardens it became apparent the soil was not quite suitable for plants to flourish. 4-H Staff on the ground in Burundi wanted to have the soil tested to see what nutrients were missing but they didn’t know where to find the help they needed. Through several steps, the WSU Burundi 4-H Team was able to connect them with just the right person at an Agricultural Institute in Burundi that was able to test the soil and produce a report. One of the WSU Burundi team members with a specialty in small gardens then made recommendations about how to enrich their soil for improved plant production. All of the suggestions can easily be put into action in Burundi. One of the greatest accomplishments through all of this is that the solution to this issue can be found inside the country of Burundi! With the help of the agriculturist and through human connections our Burundi 4-H Sister School Gardens’ soil will be enriched for continued use. It is so exciting to know that in the future, 4-H Staff in Burundi will be able to pursue their soil issues without our support! This is EXACTLY what we are working toward - sustainability at the local level!
In July our Sister Schools in Burundi joined together to celebrate and share the success of their gardens with the community. Nearly 700 students participated in the celebration! Guests of the day included governmental officials, teachers, students, school administrators, school garden committee members, and many community members. During the celebration they showcased a demonstration 4-H Garden where a youth who had participated in the 4-H School Gardens program explained what they have done in the program so far, and he talked about some of the benefits of the School Gardens. The day’s activities included dance, poetry and drumming performances by the children. The children also prepared the food for the celebration which included vegetables from the school gardens!
The 4-H Staff in Burundi is strategizing ways to share the Gardening Concepts with community members, so they too can grow their own food. With your ongoing support the 4-H Sister Gardens Program in Burundi continues to grow and expand.
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