School farms: Experiential learning & school meals

Summary

Rural schools in Ghana, particularly those in the rural regions, are closing as they are unable to fund and provide school meals. This problem is exacerbated by delays in the release of government grants promised to schools for this purpose. As schools go into debt trying to provide for their students, further barriers come in the form of rises in the cost of foodstuffs. We help this school grow their own food. This project will support two rural senior high schools in the Volta Region of Ghana

$10,000
total goal

$9,889
remaining

1
donor

0
monthly donors

7
months

Challenge

Rural schools in Ghana, particularly those in rural regions, are closing as they are unable to fund and provide school meals. This problem is exacerbated by delays in the release of government grants promised to schools for this purpose. As schools go into debt trying to provide for their students, further barriers come in the form of rises in the cost of foodstuffs. In low economic areas, students may struggle to focus on school when the more pressing concern of food security looms.

Solution

We support these schools to grow their own food. The school farms not only produce staple crops like corn/maize, sorghum, cassava, and cowpea, but native fruits and vegetables including cabbage, lettuce, gboma, okra, garden egg, watermelon, and pawpaw. Due to the varying growing cycles of these crops, there is always something in season for students to send to their school's kitchen.

Long-Term Impact

The program aligns with SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. As our farms use drip irrigation, the program also helps to promote sustainable agriculture and responsible water utilization. By promoting the growth of native crops, we are able to maintain traditional species and growing practices. By targeting rural schools, we are able to promote food security through the school system for not only this generation but many to come.