In the Tanzanian watershed of Shengena West sits a secondary school. It is one of several schools in Tanzania that have begun to partner with Plant With Purpose to further the environmental improvement of the area. Under the leadership of its headmaster, the Vudee Secondary School began its collaboration a few years ago and currently connects eight teachers, 96 boys, and 113 girls to regenerative farming and environmental care.
After a Plant With Purpose agent visited the school to teach about environmental issues, the school found the information so helpful that they established an environmental club.
“Before Plant With Purpose arrived, Vudee School was not actively involved in environmental conservation practices. Our environment suffered, particularly from soil erosion. We simply lacked knowledge on proper land conservation. This affected not only our surroundings but also the students' nutrition. The kids did not have a balanced diet in their school meals.”
After Vudee began its partnership, the school became one of the first schools in Tanzania to to engage in environmental conservation practices. They received various training sessions in environmental restoration and organic regenerative farming from Plant With Purpose.
Under the guidance of its environmental teacher, Eric, the students are now educated in banana management, kitchen gardens, tree nursery establishment, compost manure production, organic pesticides, double dugs, and other technologies. They have solidified their understanding of environmental conservation. They grow and consume organic foods and practice environmental conservation like professionals. These practices are shared by the students with their families.
Today they have successfully secured a steady supply of green vegetables, consumed by both students and staff.
“Ever since our Plant With Purpose partnership began, our primary mission has been the restoration of the environment. For six years in a row we have been going nonstop. Thanks to their guidance, students and teachers were trained in establishing nurseries, producing organic pesticides and compost manure. Their families have improved their farming techniques,” continues Eric. Students are able to apply the knowledge their families have learned in a year-round school garden.
Eric adds, “Before, buying vegetables to include in school lunch was difficult as the money allocated for the meals was not enough. After Plant With Purpose came alongside us, we saw this as an opportunity to fund the school while improving students’ diets. Thanks to the presence of 30 sack gardens, we grow our own vegetables, which are enough for all students, with some left over.”
Eric continues, “We are proud to have our own banana farm. The knowledge has gone to our students and teachers and has been expanded to their homes. Now the students are cooperating with their parents to improve their banana farms. Beyond the expansion of knowledge, the banana farm training has added another source of school funding. The school itself sells bunches of bananas, and this allows us to purchase items for the school and to support those in need. It is an act of mercy.
“The teachers and students are grateful to Plant With Purpose for giving us such successful training. Our current goal is to plant over 100 trees within their school area and also to educate neighboring schools and the community at large about environmental conservation,” concludes Eric.
