This program will educate and excite students about various herbal plants indigenous to Nepal. Through hands-on activities and education, students will be to get an education about the medicinal values and purpose of herbal plants planted in their school. Additionally, information on bamboo will be disseminated and bamboo plantation done (after the Nepal earthquake of April 25, importance of bamboo has increased, as it has been widely used for temporary shelter/classroom construction).
Many in Nepal, especially children, are increasingly being alienated from traditional herbal knowledge due to increasing globalization. These herbs have been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. The worry is that if children do not develop an appreciation of these herbs/bamboo then there will be little effort to conserve them.
The "Promoting Herbal Gardens in Schools" program allows children to experience firsthand the process of planting and tending a garden. They will learn about a variety of herbal/medicinal plants/bamboo and their traditional uses.
The project will give students a solid foundation of herbal and medicinal plants indigenous to Nepal. Schools will be able to replicate gardens in new schools, thus increasing the number of children exposed to these herbs. Students can use what they learn and teach family and friends about the importance of these plants.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
