We are collaborating with SCOPE (School and College of Permaculture) Zambia on a permaculture school-project in two schools, one in Lusaka, – Chakunkula Primary School and Kacheta Primary and Secondary School. The founder of SCOPE ZAMBIA, Mugove Walter Nyika, is also a well-known international course leader. They collaborate with both the Permaculture Worldwide Network and the Global Ecovillage Network. Annie Chikanji administers SCOPE in Zambia.
Shekina (Chawanangwa Manda Bushitse, Vice-chairman of Home of Hope Zambia) did a course in permaculture under the auspices of SCOPE in 2018 and committed to teaching in two schools during a period of three years. One of the schools is Kacheta primary and secondary school outside Lusaka and there has been a very positive development at the school. Shekina teaches in the so-called “permaculture club” both theoretically and practically and does follow-up visits.
The students have started to build a permaculture cultivation around the school with trees, plants, vegetables and fruit trees which the students, teachers, parents and school-leadership have planned together. This means a lot to the children and the families. The children usually have a 2 hour walk to and from school and too often they do not eat during the day. With fresh fruit and vegetables in the schoolyard, they can eat nutritious food to receive energy whenever they want.
Seed of Hope International visited Kacheta school in November 2019. It was so encouraging to meet students and teachers and see what they have accomplished. They welcomed us in an African way with singing, dancing and speeches by teachers and students. We had coffee together, handed out pencils, notebooks and jeans and gave 2 computers to the head teacher. We had also printed t-shirts for the children with the “Home and Hope Zambia” logo.
We got to see their crops. Even though it was a dry season, they had vegetable-gardens, banana-trees, avocado and mango trees around the school.
In interviews with some of the children, they expressed their pride to learn permaculture cultivation, partly in order to grow food for the day for themselves but also to get a healthy and organic diet and a strong body, as they put it. Some were also interested in continuing their education to become farmers and trainees in permaculture.
Thank you Shekinah in Home of Hope Zambia , Annie Chikanji and Mugove Walter Nyika in SCOPE Zambia!
The photos are from the teaching and the permaculture project in Kacheta Primary and Secondary School 2018-2020
What’sUp in 2020:
Oct.13th 2020 Kennedy and Limbani went to Kacheta as representants for Home of Hope Zambia. The mission was to distribute seeds to the Permaculture Club for personal use in their own gardens. In the videos you can hear their thankfulness and what the seeds are for. We are very proud of the Club.
