Utete, TZ – OAM family garden – 14 Jun 2013

The Kikundi cha Mafanikio (Prosperity Group) garden shop (KCM) helped the AOM family implement a garden on 14 June 2013.  AOM is a member of the local development association and was the first mama to apply for and receive a garden.  AM is a single mother with 4 children and works very hard on her farm each growing season to get an income to pay for school fees and food for her family.

AOM and the KCM garden team working hard

The area for the garden is ~100 meter from the AOM family’s home/water supply and was previously unplanted bush land.  The soil is very sandy which made it easy to till the area and form the beds, but sandy soil doesn’t hold moisture well.   By adding compost and rice hull charcoal, the team was able to improve the soils structure to retain water better and allow the vegetables the water that they will need to thrive.  AOM planted tomatoes, onions, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, mchicha (amaranth), eggplant, African eggplant, and mung beans in the 12 beds, leaving 2 beds open for reserve planting.  To deter insects she planted lemon grass, marigolds, and wild basil in and around her garden.  She also planted papaya, pineapple and moringa around the garden as permanent crops to help feed her family.

AOM and her family posing in front of their garden.