THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN FULLY FUNDED!
Thank You for your support!

Project Description:

The School Gardens Project in Sierra Leone helps schools develop their own gardens that provide food for lunch programs as well as providing a practical venue to teach science and agriculture.
According to the UN, Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world. But it is rich in potential with its children and agriculture. The school gardens project builds off a successful pilot project in three elementary schools where CAUSE Kids provided seeds, tools and some agricultural expertise.

The schools use the gardens to supplement their lunch programs, teach agriculture and science, and to engage parents and community members. The schools were also able to sell some of their produce and used the funds to make school improvements. The schools were able to create seed banks that they will be able to use far into the future to plant more gardens. CAUSE Kids wants to expand this simple and effective project into 10 other rural schools.

Help us to plant small seeds that will make a big difference!

Update from the field: August 2010

The rainy season is in full swing in Sierra Leone and farmers are hard at work preparing swamps to receive rice as the heavy rains flood the low-lying areas. The communities where our schools are located have been working to prepare the fields and transplant the rice. Due to improved irrigation in two of our communities, Sulimania and Koromasilia this will be the second harvest of rice. Other crops such as peppers, millet, eggplant, corn, and beans are all planted and being cared for by the communities in preparation for the coming school year. Many of our communities have been actively selling crops in the markets to help supplement the meals for the children when they return to schools in September.

Update from the field: May 2010

CAUSE Kids school gardens have moved from pilot projects to sustainable programs.  Communities have overwhelmed us with their enthusiastic involvement, embracing organic farming, establishing seed banks and devoting precious time away from their own duties to maintain the acre-sized gardens.  Following the leadership of our invaluable agriculturalist (who now supervises 15 schools), they have even developed innovations in irrigation, thus lengthening the growing season.

Update from the field: November 2009

Over 500,000 nutritious meals were served to students and staff at CAUSE Kids schools during the 2008-09 school year, and the School Gardens Project was an important part of this program. The potatoes, cassava, beans and other vegetables grown (1500 kilograms this summer!) are used to supplement the feeding program that is jointly offered by CAUSE Kids and the World Food Program. With the 12 schools that have joined the garden program, we expect to harvest 20,000 kgs of grains and vegetables by next summer!
Donor support, community initiative and Sierra Leone ingenuity have combined to build a program that is sustainable and locally maintained. Schools have sold excess produce in the markets to pay for school improvements. The establishment of seed banks has been very successful and an important part of planting for the next year. Communities have come on board and work very hard to keep gardens in the best shape possible. We have also been impressed by innovative and creative means used to establish irrigation systems.
Thank you for helping to supply more than 260 farming tools and supplies, seeds, better nutrition, science lessons and the encouragement of rural livelihoods to 4337 students, 98 teachers and 15 schools in Koinadugu District of Sierra Leone!


Update from the Field: April 2009

CAUSE Kids is very excited to see the development of 12 new school gardens in the Koinadugu district of Sierra Leone. The 12 selected communities have worked hard to meet the criteria for the gardens which include donating land, brushing and digging the land (all by hand) and building fences around the gardens. Three months later, the schools have already started harvesting and using the vegetables in their lunches! The next few months will bring an abundant supply of fruits and vegetables for the students to have in their lunches as well as to sell for the development of their schools. Thank you for helping to plant seeds that will continue to grow for years to come!