CorpsAfrica's Kitchen Gardens Initiative:
Building Community Resilience
When CorpsAfrica Volunteers first move to their sites, they implement what we call “immersion projects.” These are small activities meant to give them something productive to do right away and that demonstrate to their community that they’re there to help. In Rwanda, the Volunteers all implement Kitchen Gardens, which are small gardens about ten feet in diameter filled with a variety of vegetables, enough to sustain a large family with delicious and nutritious food. The Volunteers build their own Kitchen Gardens (which cost around $20 each) and then help their neighbors to plant their own Kitchen Gardens.
To date, CorpsAfrica Volunteers have planted 2,067 Kitchen Gardens in Rwanda.
The CorpsAfrica Kitchen Garden initiative finds its roots in the nationwide Rwandan effort to fight malnutrition. In 2015 the Demographic Health Survey found that 38% of children in Rwanda were experiencing chronic malnutrition (DHS). One of the most effective tools to lower this percentage is to increase access to foods with high nutritional value. The goal of a Kitchen Garden is to provide individuals and communities with the crucial nutrients that they otherwise would not have. The Rwandan Government’s guidelines and informational campaigns encourage the creation of these gardens and provide instructions for building and planting. The government monitors the progress of Kitchen Gardens with the goal of ensuring that each household has access to at least one kitchen garden with green vegetables in their homestead (Republic of Rwanda).
To date, CorpsAfrica Volunteers have planted 2,067 Kitchen Gardens in Rwanda.
The CorpsAfrica Kitchen Garden initiative finds its roots in the nationwide Rwandan effort to fight malnutrition. In 2015 the Demographic Health Survey found that 38% of children in Rwanda were experiencing chronic malnutrition (DHS). One of the most effective tools to lower this percentage is to increase access to foods with high nutritional value. The goal of a Kitchen Garden is to provide individuals and communities with the crucial nutrients that they otherwise would not have. The Rwandan Government’s guidelines and informational campaigns encourage the creation of these gardens and provide instructions for building and planting. The government monitors the progress of Kitchen Gardens with the goal of ensuring that each household has access to at least one kitchen garden with green vegetables in their homestead (Republic of Rwanda).
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This graph shows the “percentage of children under-five years of age who experience different and overlapping forms of malnutrition” in Rwanda. Throughout the world nearly half of all deaths in children under 5 can be attributed to malnutrition.
Source: Global Nutrition Report , and UNICEF. “Rwanda Nutrition Profile.” Global Nutrition Report, Global Nutrition Report, 2019, globalnutritionreport.org/resources/nutrition-profiles/africa/eastern-africa/rwanda/#status-children. |
Like most nations in the world, access to nutrition is imbalanced throughout Rwanda. Many CorpsAfrica/Rwanda Volunteers are deployed in areas of the country where malnutrition is highest, reemphasizing the need for Kitchen Gardens. The Volunteers engage in door-to-door education campaigns, promoting the benefits of Kitchen Gardens and offering both informational and technical support. As of May 2020, CorpsAfrica/Rwanda Volunteers have facilitated the creation of 760 Kitchen Gardens.
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The Kitchen Gardens, akarima k’igikoni, are specifically grown in a shape and format that allows for best use of water, aeration, and sunlight (Rwanda Water Portal).
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In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of Kitchen Gardens continues to skyrocket. With various industries on pause, and with different parts of society stopping and starting at different times, access to a reliable source of nutrition is crucial for communities, especially those fighting malnutrition. Kitchen Gardens provide a self-sufficient, reliable source of nutritious vegetables and fruits. “During the lockdown, Kitchen Gardens are very helpful as the people are able to get veggies and fruits from their own backyards,” said the Executive Secretary Kagano Cell of the Ngororero District. In May, CorpsAfrica Volunteer Uwimpuhwe Diane received praise from the Executive Secretary for her work establishing 47 Kitchen Gardens in her community. Diane is continuing to advocate for and educate her community about Kitchen Gardens, increasing her community’s ability to be resilient during this pandemic.
CorpsAfrica/Rwanda Volunteer Anny Benilde has facilitated 43 Kitchen Gardens in Bugesera. Her community openly sees the difference that Kitchen Gardens have made in their lives. Community member Mukarurangwa Yosefa was relieved that she did not have to travel to the markets to buy vegetables for her family. Decreasing the frequency of interactions is crucial for maintaining safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Less frequent trips to the market result in less potential exposures to COVID-19 and a lower chance of becoming sick. Yosefa was also proud to share her vegetables with neighbors who did not yet have their own Kitchen Gardens, saying that once the pandemic is over, she “will join hands” with neighbors and her community to ensure they all have their own Kitchen Gardens. Yosefa is proud to have a Kitchen Garden and proud to be able to provide a balanced diet for her children, something she thought was only accessible to the rich.
Nyirambabazi Vestine is another community member who is proud of her Kitchen Garden. She claims the Kitchen Garden has changed the nutritional status of her family as her children are no longer malnourished because of the quality food they can now easily access. Vestine’s Kitchen Garden provides for her family in more ways than one. Maintaining her garden effectively has also allowed her to sell part of her harvest. The Kitchen Garden is an investment of time and care that will result in a better future for her family through increased nutrition and through a newfound ability to pay for her family’s basic needs.
Nyirambabazi Vestine is another community member who is proud of her Kitchen Garden. She claims the Kitchen Garden has changed the nutritional status of her family as her children are no longer malnourished because of the quality food they can now easily access. Vestine’s Kitchen Garden provides for her family in more ways than one. Maintaining her garden effectively has also allowed her to sell part of her harvest. The Kitchen Garden is an investment of time and care that will result in a better future for her family through increased nutrition and through a newfound ability to pay for her family’s basic needs.
Additional Pictures
Special thanks to the project's primary supporter:
