Our Wa site in northern Ghana is taking this year’s World Food Day theme of “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow” to heart. Their innovation this year, thanks to Chalice supporters, was to build mechanized borehole wells to five schools who previously had no source of water. The wells transformed their daily lives at once. They relieved students of any anxiety about drinking or washing, and their families of miles-long daily trips to fetch it.
And the innovation of the wells quickly began “nourishing tomorrow.” The clean water helped school cooks prepare nutritious meals for the students. It also laid the foundation of a robust mango and cashew grove.
The Wa site distributed 10,000 cashew and mango seedlings to schools and family homes that “sparked a green revolution,” says Michael, Wa site director. “These saplings have transformed barren plots into lush, productive landscapes,” he says. Students and teachers take care of the school orchards, which “has turned the schoolyards into living classrooms.” The trees have a twofold role: the fruits and nuts they bear, and the cool shade they offer students in the yard. ” The mango fruits will be eaten by the students,” says Ibrahim, an assistant head teacher at one of the schools, “which could provide vitamins for strong growth. The trees will provide a micro-environment for conducive learning.”
The wells ensure that the seedlings will thrive through Ghana’s driest seasons, “creating a sustainable cycle where water nurtures growth and growth provides for the future,” Michael says. “By equipping these schools with the tools to nourish both their students and their soil, we have laid the groundwork for long-term prosperity.”
The Wa site team innovated to bring positive, valuable change by introducing both wells and saplings. We can celebrate their achievements on World Food Day as they nourish tomorrow.