New screen houses mean improved production and nutrition
By Teresa Mellish
Our school meal program is based on two staples: dried corn and beans. In addition to this, vegetables grown at the school bring vitamins, minerals and some good taste to githeri. A screen house is needed to successfully grow many of these vegetables, as the vegetables need a secure area and protection from birds to survive and the plants also grow better in shade. These are drip irrigated with raised beds and are highly productive.
When I visited all 23 schools last January, the head teachers frequently asked for new screen houses. Some of the older screen houses were falling down because the termites had eaten the wooden posts. Some of the schools with more than 400 children needed more vegetables to put in the githeri so they needed a second screen house. Two new schools needed their first screen house.
The screen houses measure 15 meters x 20 meters and are chock a block full of vegetables like, kale, carrots and onions, to name a few. They add nutrients and variety plus good taste to the githeri which include maize and beans.
Farmers Helping Farmers is very grateful to the Pindoff Family Charitable Foundation for providing $150,000 to improve the food security at the schools. Of these funds, $60,000 is being used to build the screen houses. We are also very grateful for the support provided by the Village Feast of Souris who provide funds annually to employ the school gardeners.