Champaign Rotary sponsored a survival gardening workshop at Mutonguni Girls Secondary School in Tulia, Kenya. Rotarian Carl Burkybile and NGO Caring for Kenya’s local trainers taught 90 girls how to make compost, construct raised planting beds, and use drip irrigation. During the hands-on workshop, four drip-irrigated raised planting beds were developed and planted with cabbage transplants.
The drip irrigation kits used were assembled and packaged by Champaign Rotary. Trainees were given seed packets with 10 different varieties, also packaged by Champaign Rotary, for future plantings. Burkybile says, “The things that are taught in the workshop are simple, practical, affordable, and sustainable. They are life-changing in reducing hunger and poverty. Often when students learn these skills in their school garden they are excited to share what they learned with their parents.”
Trainees are told to use what they learned and share the knowledge with others. The school’s headmaster chose freshmen students for the workshop and challenged them to teach other students at the school during their sophomore, junior, and senior years. She said, “Poverty is manufactured in the bed” as she encouraged the trainees to work hard and share their knowledge with others. She also promised to expand the garden creating more raised beds.
The class spokesman said her class was honored to be chosen for the workshop. Student Ann Mgula said, “Raised planting beds and drip irrigation are new to me. I will be excited to watch the garden grow. I will teach my parents. Thank you for helping us learn to improve food production.”
Biology and chemistry teacher Matheka Joseph said, “This training is amazing. I will do raised beds at my home too.” Agriculture teacher Mr. Robert said, “I have seen drip irrigation but I have not used it. I will teach it to the upcoming classes.”
During the trip, the Caring for Kenya team did a follow-up visit to Ilako Mututa Secondary School where Champaign Rotary sponsored a similar workshop last year. The team was pleased to learn that the workshop beds had been maintained and the school was adding 8 more raised beds! Seed packets and drip kits were given to them to help with the garden expansion.
During the trip, two other schools requested a workshop. Another Champaign Rotary-sponsored workshop is being scheduled for August.
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