Kilimanjaro, TZ – Lishe Bora Garden Shop Year in Review – 2014

2014 Accomplishments
Family Gardens Built: 42
New School Partnerships: 2
School Water Connections: 1

The Lishe Bora Garden Shop had a very successful 2014. It was the first year the team was managed independently, without a Better Lives consultant regularly present. After the transition period, the team has continuously increased both the quality and quantity of family vegetable gardens they implement.

The shop set a goal of building one new organic vegetable garden with a family every two weeks. However, they quickly moved beyond that goal and began building a new garden with a family every week. They set a goal of building 25 new gardens in 2014 and ended up building 42 gardens. There are now 52 families working with the Lishe Bora Garden Shop on FAITH Organic Vegetable Gardens. All of these families now have the opportunity to eat healthy, organic vegetables every day. They also have the opportunity to earn additional income and build credit for small business micro-loans.

The garden shop also began working with two local primary schools. The gardens at the primary schools produce vegetables for the students to enjoy at lunch time. They also demonstrate best practices and encourage students to apply them to build their own gardens at home.

School gardens also help build a relationship between the garden shop and local schools. This allows the garden shop to understand schools’ needs. The garden shop identified water access as a challenge for one of the schools it works with. Working with the school, the shop installed a water connection for garden and kitchen use.

In 2015 the Lishe Bora Garden Shop is focused on continuing to improve lives. The team has improved and streamlined its reporting processes and is now preparing to improve its marketing. Building a reliable market for vegetables will increase the income families receive from their garden and their ability to qualify for small business micro-loans.