School Demonstration Gardens: High hopes for 2016!
January 27, 2016
At the end of 2015, we distributed the first proceeds from our School Garden project amongst members of the parents’ groups. While the groups encountered challenges throughout the year, particularly from a prolonged drought which affected crop yield, they still succeeded in generating a good profit from their farming activities. A portion of the money was reinvested back into the garden and school, and the rest shared between the group members.
At the start of the project, each member set savings goals for their profits. Most members included paying their children’s school fees as a top priority, as well as saving for future medical needs and investing in their home farming or business. Bosco, part of the marketing team at the Lujoro Primary School Demonstration Garden, hopes to use the profits to increase his agricultural productivity at home in 2016:
“I will use part of the money to buy two pigs. So I will be keeping pigs. And also part of the money I will use to pay the exam fees for the children.”
Alice, a member of the parents’ school garden group at Labala Primary School told us:
“My wish for 2016 is this. I want to change from this humble farming (by hand) to some simple machine techniques, where I use a cow to plough. I want to be a commercial farmer.”
As well as determining the best use of their profits, parents’ groups have been busy choosing which crops to plant this year and planning their farming activities to ensure that they maintain a high level of productivity. We wish them the best of luck in 2016 and hope they enjoy fruitful harvests!
