Indian Children Turn Wasteland into Veg Field
Posted by Unknown in India, Success Stories, Vegetable on Saturday, 26 January 2013
Children in South Mumbai transform unused land into vegetable patch
In a corner of
the Umerkhadi Observation Home in south Mumbai, a group of children are
busy transforming an unused piece of land into a vegetable patch. As
they sow seeds, tend to young plants and harvest seasonal vegetables,
they are in the process of an inner healing.
Begun
as a rehabilitation initiative in the Umerkhadi and Bhiwandi children’s
homes last year, the Urban Garden Project is the brainchild of the
Aangan Trust, an NGO that works with destitute children in Mumbai’s
slums and observation homes.
“The idea is to
offer children practical vocational skills along with important life
lessons. It is a process that will help break the cycles of crime,
violence and risky behaviour,” said Shailja Mehta, executive director of
Aangan.
The project has
been made possible by the active support of SA Jadhav, the
superintendent of the Umerkhadi home. It involves more than 500 children
accused of crime, exploited by drug peddlers or employers, and often
abandoned by their families.
“The students
set achievable educational and vocational goals for themselves and take
steps towards a responsible new life after their release from the
observation home,” Mehta said.
Once a week,
the garden is also used as a space to conduct group discussions on anger
management, peer pressure, and other issues relevant for children
exposed to violence and exploitation.
“These sessions
are designed to make them reflect on the risks they are exposed to, the
decisions they can make, and their abilities to cope with difficult
situations,” she adds.
The combined
therapeutic effect of gardening and group discussions has helped the
children develop positive attitudes towards personal growth, while
instilling self-confidence in them.
“It’s the one time in the day I feel hopeful. Maybe something will change when I go back out,” said a young gardener.
Another feels
proud that the vegetables they grow are consumed by other children in
the home. “Our garden is the best part about this place. We feel free
here, and can lose ourselves without any fear,” he said.
