Produce from the garden would help supplement the students’ lunch with vitamin-rich vegetables. Many children in Zambia have nshima a cream like substance made with corn, low in nutrients. For many students in Zambia, school lunches provides the one nutrition meal of the day. Having a diet consisting only of nshima contributes to malnutrition among Zamabian children. While looking around the school, we noticed sacks of soybeans donated from the United Nations World Food Programme, which I assume was also to help feed the students lunch.
In a follow up discussion about building this garden, we determined that the garden had the potential to help the community in several ways, beyond feeding the students lunch. For example, this garden, which will be maintained by the community, could help bring the community together to make productive use of the land. It could also create opportunities for the community to sell extra produce. Most importantly, we believe it could help empower the community by giving it an important tool for self-reliance and sustainability. If this garden is a success, the community will be able to feed themselves without World Food Programme donations.
-Samantha