Fund a Sustainable School Vegetable Garden

Dear Supporterrs,

The overall objective is to implement a kitchen garden at Navunisea Primary school which will be run by the mother’s group. The aim of the “School Canteen Project” is to ensure that the students receive a nutritional meal at lunch time, plus to educate and capacity train the mothers club who are responsible for all lunch time meals on school days on nurturing seeds, planting sustainably, fertilizing, and maintaining the vegetable plot. During the implementation of this project we have had the opportunity to speak to many parents who expressed an interest in the shade house for their own communities .

We all know it is important to eat a healthy, balanced diet but when the nearest supermarket is an hour and 30 minutes away by bus, access to fresh fruit and vegetables isn’t easy. These plants are often less resilient than the crops traditionally farmed in the areas and require shade and protection from pests in order to grow successfully.

Working towards UN Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, GVI and the village of Silana are organising a fundraising event on the 28th November to provide shade houses to 15 villages across the Districts of Dawasamu and Bureiwai. The shade house initiative is aimed at promoting food security and self-efficiency among residents of rural areas within the region. The shade houses also offer the community the opportunity to generate additional income should surplice crops be grown.

Funds raised will go towards purchasing the timber, PVC pipes and netting required to build the shade houses. GVI will then work with the communities to decide the best locations, construct the shade houses and offer advice and support on how to grow the plants through working closely with the ministry of Agriculture who support local community initiative which benefit the communities health and wellbeing . We finish constructing one shade house in the community of Driti , we will keep you updated with the progress.

There is nothing better than empowering people to make a difference in their own lives, and that is exactly what we are aiming to do. We thank you for your support in helping families and communities provide themselves with healthy meals.

With Gratitude,

Dawasmau Kitchen Garden 

Dear Supporters,

The overall objective is to implement a kitchen garden at Navunisea Primary school which will be run by the mother’s group. The aim of the “School Canteen Project” is to ensure that the students receive a nutritional meal at lunch time, plus to educate and capacity train the mothers club who are responsible for all lunchtime meals on school days on nurturing seeds, planting sustainably, fertilizing, and maintaining the vegetable plot.

We aligns with local government “National Food and Nutrition Policy for Schools” that promote a healthier environment in schools, to ensure a healthier future for the children of Fiji.  There is an urgent need to promote and encourage good nutrition in schools. Good nutrition empowers people to reach their full potential and is a key foundation for the sustainable development of human health. In Fiji’s rural communities, people consume enough quantities of starchy staple foods like potatoes, cassava, taro, rice but insufficient quantities of protein, oils, dairy, fruits and vegetables that make up a balanced diet.

The kitchen garden project aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages.  There is a relationship between good nutrition and education. The kitchen garden will provide for attractive, tasty, nutritious meals that complement the students learning.

The beginning of 2020 as started off with turning over the ground, removing the weeds and getting ready to start planting the seeds and seedlings in the school kitchen garden. The mother’s group, who provides the meals for the students, have been busy getting the new canteen ready for the students to use and to start serving lunch. Tables have been made and pots purchase so now we are just waiting for the vegetable to grow so they can be added to the daily lunchtime menu. The first vegetable to be sown is Chinese cabbage which takes an average of six weeks to grow, so by March the students will be enjoying some freshly grown vegetables from their school kitchen garden.  We are excited to let you all know in the next report how things are progressing.

The project aims to address food security challenges that many people in Fiji’s rural and remote communities face daily. The overall objective is to improve access to nutritious daily lunch for the students of Navunisea Primary School. The next stage will be to start working with the mother groups looking at menu ideas and costs to help implement a successfully run school canteen utilising the fresh vegetables that are currently being grown. 

We would like to thank all supportes, fundraisers and donors, we really appreciate it!

With Gratitude,

Dawasamu Kitchen