I have just returned from The Gambia where we visited four community gardens in North Bank and Lower River Region. These women-run community vegetable gardens, supported by the Red Cross and the Government of Canada, allow families affected by the 2011-2012 food crisis to diversify their nutritional intake and generate income to help build household resilience.
In addition to seeds, the Red Cross has provided fencing materials to protect their plants, wells to ensure there is adequate water, and training on how to properly plant seeds, maintain and manage a garden, and develop products like jams and juice from their crops.
The welcome we received at each of these communities was incredible. Hundreds of women and children sang and danced, extended their appreciation for the support provided and were eager to show us all of the hard work they have been putting into their gardens.
The assistance provided by the Red Cross came at a very desperate time, however thanks to this project communities in The Gambia are getting back on their feet and are looking forward to continued progress in the years to come.
Canadian Red Cross worker, Chiran Livera, introduces the project in the video above, taken at a community garden in the Lower River Region.