Growing Hope: FLEAT Zambia Empowers Mukunkiki School with community garden project

Esther Kakole, a member of SAFCEI’s Faith Leader Environmental Advocacy Training (FLEAT) Zambia group representing the Christian faith recently shared one of the activities she has been active in.

Esther writes: “Our school is Mukunkiki primary school situated on the banks of Mukunkiki stream in Luampa, Zambia. In this area, locals are into farming maize, groundnuts, and mostly cassava.

The area does not have a marketplace, most people depend on small gardens for fresh vegetables, and oftentimes the vegetables are too bitter for consumption.

Mukunkiki Primary School established a committee for a production unit to look at the high benefits of gardening which will benefit different stakeholders such as teachers, students, and the community at large. Pupils were organised to make vegetable beds just near the stream as it would be easier to water them from there. The plan is to have vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, onions, and rape to start with.”

Mukunkiki Primary School kids preparing the garden bed.

2-3 week old spring onion

2-3 weeks old tomatoes