Garden to Market- Helping the poor to grow food!

Our Garden to Market project keeps going from strength to strength. At the end of the year, Hand to Hand gave 375 families we support four different Thai herb plants.  The 1 500 plants were cultivated from existing herbs by taking a cutting and helping them to regrow in bags which were made from recycled rice sacks. Local people who were unemployed participated in the project which enabled them to receive an income for the month of December. In this way, we were able to provide, food, gifts and employment! Unfortunately on the day of distribution, approximately 400 families arrived so we simply bagged up other seedlings we were growing and gave them away!

Three months ago we began a new community garden in a local slum area not far from our current garden. The gardeners in our original project have spent time with the residents of this community showing them how to prepare the garden beds, plants seedlings and care for them. The  Hand to Hand Foundation has provided all of the resources needed to create this garden including garden bead materials, soil, tools, seedling, water pumps and water tanks. This garden is now producing fruit, vegetables and herbs, which the community is sharing and selling. The garden has not only brought the community food but also a common goal that has nurtured deeper friendly relationships and self-esteem.

The garden at the Hand to Hand housing estate continues to produce an abundant harvest. The cucumber crop has finished and we now have tomatoes growing in our greenhouse. Gardeners are now regularly going to market to sell their produce!

Thank you to everyone for your generosity which has enabled us to provide food, employment and hope for the poor. 

Links:

• Hand to Hand Foundation