We were so pleased to get this donation of gardening equipment to the students at Lokusero primary school in Kenya. Huge thanks to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy’s education team for making the delivery.
The learners have been trying to cultivate a garden but in recent dry years they’ve been up against elephants that learned how to access their rainwater collection tanks. After suffering considerable destruction ( broken gutters, damaged tanks, trampled ground) the school recently received fencing to keep the elephants out – meaning tree planting, gardens and vegetable plots can be more ambitious again.
The children and their teacher Mr James Munga were thrilled by the new kit. They are composting, mulching, and will be producing corn, herbs, potatoes and beans for the school kitchen. Before receiving these wheelbarrows they were carrying black soil for their garden by bucket, from as far as 1 km away.
Student projects that integrate theory and practical are central to Kenya’s primary and secondary curricula. The new tools will help students water, protect and nurture their plants. They will be guided by Mr Munga and his colleagues, who will teach and task the kids to keep the tools clean, secure and in good condition. All of these activities will help the children sharpen wide ranging skills and competencies that are now a requirement for passing school assessments.
Happy gardening kids, and we do hope the elephants have other places to drink now.
Shade and ornamental trees and shrubs have been planted on the school grounds.
A next project is using their new drums, kindly adapted by Ephantus’ workshop, to brew plant tea – natural home-made fertiliser made from local waste products.
You can read a PACE resource on Soil here.
Watch PACE films about Soil – Introduction to soil, Compost and Mulch
and check some Action sheets for Making plant tea, Composting, Mulching and Planting trees .
If you would like to donate money to provide a set of school garden equipment please contact pace@tusk.org