Students need nutritious food to fuel their learning. All the countries we work in suffer from food insecurity, so we want to make sure our students have a balanced diet to see them through the school day. One way we are doing this is by creating vegetable gardens next to our schools.

Here are just a few reasons why we love these additions to our school sites.

 

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1. Learning new skills

Vegetable gardens allow students to learn essential farming skills, without taking time out of school. At Helu Besi School, Nepal, the children have been learning how to plant, care for and harvest nutritious, seasonal crops.

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2. Food for the whole family

Students can take the crops grown at school home to share with their families. The students of UWS Hang Savart School, Cambodia, love incorporating what they have grown into family dinner (below). Communities also help to build the school gardens, making them a great way to get the whole family involved in school life.

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3. A healthy diet = better learning

A better diet means students are more mentally and physically fit to learn. Students at UWS Wein Wa School, Myanmar, have more energy in lessons thanks to the nutritious vegetables they grow in their school garden. 

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4. Creating beautiful schools

As well as providing environmental education, vegetable gardens improve the school environment. UWS Roy School, Cambodia, has a large vegetable garden next to the playground, making the school a nicer place to learn. 

Want to help us feed more students? 

Donating £20 could help fund a school vegetable garden.

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