By: Meng Seavmey
SIEM REAP – Pork was the first meal displaced student Thong Ratha could think about when receiving vegetables provided at a safe center. They were grown by Prey Chrouk Primary School students, sharing love, compassion and friendship from afar.
This photo shows a student of Prey Chrouk Primary School holding a batch of vegetables prepared for the delivery to the displaced families in Oddar Meanchey. Photo: Moeurn Makthong
The gardening initiative has been running for about a year with support from the Aide et Action organization, allowing young students to support displaced families in Siem Reap and Oddar Meanchey provinces.
Through the program, the school has provided more than 100kg of fresh vegetables to displaced people.
This photo shows Rath Sreynet (C), a Grade 5 student, speaking in an interview about the vegetable gardening. Photo: Heng Sreylin
Rath Sreynet, a Grade 5 student, said students took care of the plantations, with some watering and others getting rid of grasses to avoid worms.
Everyone takes a part, cultivating not only the seeds but also hope for themselves and children in displacement sites who cannot return home yet.
This photo shows students preparing the vegetables into batches for the displaced families in Oddar Meanchey province. Photo: Moeurn Makthong
The children have to be patient for 25-35 days for the harvest. Busy hands dig for the vegetables, passing them to others to shake off the soil before preparing them in batches for delivery.
“Students who help grow vegetables also receive a batch when harvested,” Sreyneth said.
“The plantations are grown naturally, depending on animal manure given by students whose families raise livestock.”
This photo shows a group of Prey Chrouk Primary School’s students holding the vegetables they grew for the displaced families. Photo: Moeurn Makthong
Grow with Care, Receive with Love
From seeds to soil, from soil harvested to baskets, then arranged into bags, those vegetables go through every phase with love, care and hope.
“I’d like to ask everyone to eat well. I will provide more vegetables when I harvest them,” Sreyneth said. “Please, stay healthy and safe.”
The students said they would want to grow more vegetables for their friends in displacement sites.
Thong Ratha (L), a displaced primary school student staying at Wat Bat Thkav safe center in Oddar Meanchey province, received the vegetables delivered from Prey Chrouk Primary School. Photo: Meng Seavmey
Thong Ratha, a displaced primary school student staying at Wat Bat Thkav safe center in Oddar Meanchey province, at first did not know where the vegetables came from. He was grateful for them because he could eat them with what he wanted: pork.
“Thank you, sisters and brothers, for growing these vegetables for me,” Ratha said.
He was told they were from friends in Prey Chrouk Primary School and he expressed his delight at receiving them. Ratha and the Prey Chrouk students pray for safety and health for each other.
The vegetables are arranged in a bus, ready for delivery to the displaced families in Oddar Meanchey province. Photo: Meng Seavmey
The gardening activity let the students contribute to helping affected people while promoting community solidarity, said school principal Reourn Khan said.
It also encouraged them to learn practical agricultural skills and social responsibility.
Jade McCulloch is director of engagement at Educate A Child programme of Education Above All Foundation.
Sopheak SREY is communication and partnership manager at Action Education in Cambodia.
Education Above All Foundation, with its partner Action Education, supports efforts to ensure displaced children have access to quality education.
Disclaimer: This article was first published on the Cambodianess News website and is reproduced here with permission. Click here to access the original post.
