Empower Tanzanian Girls Through Education

Things in Kenya and at the school are continuing as good as they can, even though the country has gone into another lockdown.

With the extra time, the girls have had their go at farming and growing their own food. This is both a project of growth for the girls and for the plants themselves. It takes patience and skill to grow the food, but it is something that compounds itself: the skills to grow the food increase with each crop, as does the yield.

That is why they have started a food security development program. These types of programs focus on sustainability by continually seeking solutions to increase the availability in the food that is grown on the school grounds. This way there can be multiple harvests a year, and as a result more food for the girls.

A result of looking to grow our own food, is that the easiest and lower skilled plants are fruit and vegetables. This means that they are making sure to stay healthy during the pandemic by eating right. These are habits that will stay with them throughout life.

The food is healthy for the body and for the school budget. Previous to starting the sustainable food program, fruit and vegetables accounted for over 20% of the food costs. Now that is much, much lower. This in turn means there is more money to help the school grow.

In these tough times, it is important to be adaptive and creative.

Both students and staff have been working to grow food at the school, and we have started harvesting mangoes, papaya, bananas, oranges and other small vegetables. They have expanded what they are growing as they get more skills and have planted some trees in the literacy garden.

In a few years time, the girls will be able to sit out there and read while smelling sweet fruit growing all around them.

We are excited for this development and proud of the school for focusing on sustainable projects. We are also proud of the girls for learning these new skills. 

It has been a wild ride these past few months. 

As Covid-19 has swept through the world, it has found it's way to Riley Orton's little corner. 

The money that is normally quite limited in Kisumu has all but dried up. The funding our the foundation has been slashed. 

But yet, the organization continues on. 

The literacy garden is being taken advantage of by the girls in the area as it is a space for them to get away from all their troubles and to just be a kid. 

It gives them a chance to continue their learning, even if schools have been shut down. 

There are social distancing measures put in place to ensure that no one is getting sick. 

We will continue to support these wonderful girls as they become women the best we can. 

The major expansion efforts of the garden have been put on hold. For the time being, though, it is business as usual for the girls to learn. We hope that this can continue, even as Kenya goes deeper into lockdown.

In the meantime, we wish them well and that they continue to stay safe.