Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.
Vegetables are an integral part of a balanced diet. Thanks to school farming programs, kitchen gardens, and donations to our nutrition programs, many schools and families at our sites are able to grow hearty veggies to incorporate into meals. These diverse vegetables keep growing children healthy and strong!
This week, we’re sharing our top 5 “eat your veggies” photos from our sites. These shots feature kids harvesting, preparing, and enjoying all sorts of colourful produce. Maybe these vegetable-filled pictures will inspire other children to eat their veggies, too!
#5: An a-maize-ing school farm!
At our Mbinga site in Tanzania, Chalice donors help support Lukala School’s farming program, which maintains four acres of land to grow corn, sweet potatoes, cassava, and an assortment of other fruits and vegetables. Donors have also helped provide the school with fencing, a modern school kitchen, and an eco stove. The school’s lunch program uses the corn and other vegetables to feed a student population of 360 and growing!
#4: Excellent eggplants
In 2019, our Haiti South site established three community gardens! Parents, children, and site staff all pitch in to care for the gardens, and grow all sorts of vegetables for families in need to use for meals. “We must take care of our children and feed them so that they learn better,” says Fr. Marcelin, the site director. “As the saying goes, “a hungry belly has no ears.” A child who goes to school without eating at home and without any hope of finding food at school will not learn and may not return to school.”
#3: Tikon’s business takes off
Tikon, a young man from our Assam site in India, usually makes a living by selling dumplings on the roadside to students on school break. Thanks to a kind gift catalogue donation, he even received a movable cart and umbrella for his small business! With his income, he takes care of his elderly mother and mentally ill older sister. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, he’s unable to sell dumplings as schools are closed. Instead, he’s now operating a moving vegetable cart, and sells fresh produce throughout town. So far, his new business has been a success!
#2: A competitive cook-off!
At Starehe Girls’ School in Kenya, students learned about healthy cooking and eating in a fun and interactive way. Teams of students went head-to-head in a cooking competition, preparing a main meal and dessert! The activity was a success; the girls enjoyed themselves as they got hands-on knowledge about a healthy, wholesome diet. The winning team received customized pens and notebooks for class!
#1: Loads of leafy greens
The pride of our CMAVIL site in Paraguay is their small backyard garden. Staff and children grow leafy greens such as cabbage and lettuce to use in lunches, and flowers to appreciate for beauty! The kids love helping out in the garden, and never mind getting their hands dirty!
Follow Chalice on Facebook and Instagram for daily updates from our sponsor sites, impact stories, and more! Be sure to check back next week for another Photo Friday.