School Garden

The greatest challenge thus far in my Peace Corps service has been creating my own work. I was placed in my town of 400 people with no real counterpart to help me in the process of integration or give me direction in my work. So, I fill my days trying to get farmers excited about organic agriculture, talking to them abstractly about building a composting toilets, tending to my garden and chickens, as well as walking the countryside. Beyond this, I work with the school both teaching English classes and running the garden. Because it is a consistent obligation (rather than sporadic meetings with random campesinos), I get to work closely with kids, and I can directly view the results of my work, what I do with the school has given me the most satisfaction of anything yet.

The previous volunteer had a school garden as well, but only used a small portion of the land available. After negotiating with the town´s group of mothers, I have full license to use the land as I see fit.

Each 7th grade student gets their own plot of land, upon which they plant, tend, and harvest. I provide the seeds (some of which I got donated, some of which I bought) and help them with both techical knowledge and the physical labor. Anything harvested goes directly to the kitchen to feed the entire student body during lunch.

The degree to which they take pride in their own land is incredible. I expected to constantly provide motivation for them to work on their plot, since after class every afternoon, they find themselves working their family´s land as a chore. Yet, even when I am not present, they are out in the hot sun watering, weeding, or simply admiring their work. Must be either the spirit of competition or challenge of doing it all by themselves, but I have some good gardeners at my disposal.

Looking into the future on this project, I would like to make it sustainable. Instead of just a few students planting vegetables during the school year, I want to include more grade levels, build a greenhouse and composting toilet, as well as get some animals to 1) provide pest control, 2) manure, and 3) protein in the student´s daily lunch diet.

Unfortunately, these fine ambitions require money, the likes of which will not come from the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education. Therefore, in the next few weeks, keep your eyes out for a means of donating both to this school garden project and my composting toilet project.

Pictures Explained:

1) Me distributing seeds wearing my indigenous outfit.

2) 7th grade students showing the seeds they are about to sow.

3) Happy face.