Red Cross Garden Project: Vegetables Galore!

First, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who supported me throughout the entire grant process. Everyone at Red Cross has been so thankful and they have worked very hard to make sure that the grant money has been used to the fullest.

Creating this garden has been a huge part of my second year service in Peace Corps. I am incredibly grateful, with your support, to help Red Cross combat poverty and increase access to education for vulnerable children.

The Red Cross Garden Project:

Immediately following the deposit of funds in my local bank account, a fellow counterpart and I went to purchase supplies from Builders World. Once the supplies were delivered, the construction of the outside garden structure took place. It took about one week, and was built by local Batswana who have experience in creating these types of permagarden structures.

Finished permagarden structure

After the structure was created, local materials to create the plots were gathered: straw, greens/leaves, manure and black soil. All materials were free of cost and found in Sefhare. Once the materials were gathered, staff began to dig the plots. For each plot (seven in total), staff dug about three feet into the ground. Once the plot was dug, staff filled the plots in with the materials collected, creating three layers of straw, grass, manure and dirt, watering each layer before planting a new one. Once it decomposes, it creates a liquid manure to provide nutrients for the plants.

Digging plots and filling with greens.

Adding straw to plots.

Watering finished plots.

Planting seeds.

Red Cross crew!

After the plots were created, seeds were planted. Companion planting was used, for example onion and green pepper were planted together, and beetroot and spinach were planted together. Each plant uses different nutrients in the soil, so they are compatible and good to plant next to each other.  In addition, onion is a good companion plant because it acts as a natural bug repellant.

Tomatoes growing.

Spinach!

The plants are currently growing fast and in abundance. Because there are so many plants in a plot, we had to transplant some into plots outside of the structure. Furthermore, seven fruit trees were planted, and are growing in plots outside of the structure. These trees should mature in the next few years and start producing fruit.

Red Cross driver harvesting vegetables. 

Very large spinach leaf!

Spinach and kale leaves!

Red Cross secretary Cici holding some of the harvested vegetables!

Two Red Cross Tirelos Sechaba workers about to cut the vegetables to feed the children!

Red Cross staff washing the vegetables and cutting them.

Staff was dedicated and worked hard to create the garden. The plots are growing so well that Red Cross staff has had to transplant seeds and plant them outside the garden. Two rounds of vegetables (rape and kale) have been harvested. Because of lack of funding, the Red Cross has no funding form HQ to buy food to feed the children in the Sefhare branch, which in the past has prevented children from attending the Centre. However, because vegetables have been harvested from the garden, RC is using the vegetables to help keep the Centre open by providing food to he children, in addition to local donations, so they can attend school. If enough food is grown, additional food will go to CBR clients.