The Garden at Ruuju School

Jan 27, 2007
Ken Mellish

Last year when we visited the Ruuju School in Meraga they showed us a patch of tropical couch grass behind the school where they wanted help to plant a garden to feed the children lunch. It was not a pretty sight. We had seen pictures from Shaad of how productive the garden had grown in our absence but to see it for real was very exciting.

The garden supplies vegetables to feed the students at noon. Cabbage, tomatoes and kale look robust in the rain. Small passion plants start to climb the fence and new pea plants just poke above the surface. There is a bunch of kale seedlings in the nursery ready to plant out in the main garden. In the back there are tall corn plants maturing to provide the staple corn for the noon meal.

We hear stories about what the noon lunch has done for the school. Last year there was a shortage of food in the area as a result of the drought. With the feeding program the children came to school. The average marks in the national tests was higher. Also, now there is clean water at the school piped in from a spring that fills the water tanks at night when there is not enough rain. Farmers Helping Farmers bought the pipe and the tanks. Now students have all the clean water at school and even carry some home for drinking. The biggest thrill is to be told there is a sense of excitement and pride at the school and to hear plans for the future.

Many people made this happen. Colleen Walton was the driving force last year who got the project started. This involved planning the garden, the cook house and the storage. Mary Driscoll and Heather Angell helped with the garden plan and even piled weeds. Shaad, our Kenyan agent, who helped start the project and traveled down a difficult road every month kept the project moving. Damaris, the hired horticulturist, worked daily to plan, plant and weed. The Parents Committee and the Headmaster all played key roles.

The garden is tangible evidence of something bigger that has happened. All these people have learned to work together. The Canadians again learned how to make the hopes of Kenyans grow and Kenyans learned how to spend Canadian money wisely and the children have benefited.