Under the guidance of ForAfrika and school leadership, pupils took part in the full growing cycle, from planting cassava cuttings to weeding until harvest. Turning a small school garden into a practical classroom for nutrition, learning and self-reliance. On harvest day, the learners were overjoyed and proud as they pulled mature cassava roots from the ground. 

The school garden is at the heart of the school feeding programme’s wider purpose which aims to facilitate students’ learning on food production as a long-term strategy for reducing hunger and increasing access to nutritious meals. By adding fresh, locally grown cassava to ForAfrika’s supported food items, St. Joseph Primary School strengthened the quality and diversity of the school meal. As such, the learners harvested 800 kilogrammes of cassava that made three meals for 1,270 learners. 

The garden is also a big motivation for children to go to school especially in vulnerable communities where food at home is not guaranteed. At St. Joseph, learners do not only come to receive a meal, they come to care for something they helped create. This sense of ownership has led to a significant increase in school attendance. Before the garden, about 1,274 students attended school, but today the school registers an average daily attendance of 1,381, which represents a 15 % reduction in school absenteeism and a 100 % attendance rate. 

ForAfrika’s support has helped position the garden as a learning space in addition to a food source. Pupils are gaining practical agricultural skills, understanding the value of teamwork and seeing how food production can contribute to their own wellbeing. The school leadership says the children have learned patience, responsibility and cooperation through the process.