Growing vegetables from simple, innovative gardens

In the parched Sahel region of Central Africa, it’s difficult to grow anything. Refugee families living in camps have no land to farm or even grow a garden. Water is incredibly scarce in this drought-prone region. And the drought is getting worse.

Children eat a bland, limited diet, consisting of one or two servings a day of a grain-based porridge. Their growing bodies need vitamins and nutrients found naturally in vegetables. Without these, their development will be stunted permanently.

A simple solution

“I eat fresh vegetables whenever I want. I even have enough to share with my neighbors!” – Khadidja Oumar

You can provide the seeds, supplies and training for a hungry family to grow a simple sack garden. Using recycled materials and “grey” water from their household, families can grow nutritious, plentiful vegetables almost anywhere.

Three ways this simple solution for ending hunger creates lasting, sustainable change—and brings hope to families.

Portable / Sack Gardens grow in small spaces and are easily moved
Efficient / They use little water—even kitchen runoff works!
Uncomplicated / Almost anyone, anywhere can grow a sack garden

For $25, you’ll provide everything a family needs to grow their own vegetables. Make this spring a season of growing hope for a hungry family in need.

 

Make Your Own Sack Garden

You can raise the money it takes to provide a sack garden for someone like Khadidja. For every $25 you donate, World Concern will provide the materials and training for a sack garden to help a family receive necessary food and nutrition throughout the driest months of the year.

Materials needed

1. A woven polypropylene bag (a common food aid sack) works best. You can contact Mark Lamb at World Concern to receive one free of charge at markl@worldconcern.org. You can also use a burlap or sturdy plastic sack.
2. Soil mixed with organic compost
3. Rocks for irrigation (golf ball size or larger)
4. A cylindrical bucket or tin, open on both ends (we use seed tins or vegetable oil tins, but a large coffee can would work well too)

Instructions (Download Here)

1. Put about 4 inches of soil in the bottom of the bag. Place the tin on the soil in the middle of the bag and fill with rocks. This will serve as an irrigation channel.
2. Fill the bottom of the sack around the tin with organic compost.
3. Slowly lift up the tin, so that the rocks remain.
4. Fill the tin with more rocks and surround it again with soil. Repeat this until the
   sack is filled with a tower of rocks surrounded by soil.
5. Poke holes into the side of the sack an even distance apart.
6. Transplant seedlings into the sides of the sack.
7. You can try direct seeding beets, carrots or other vegetables or herbs in the top of the sack.
8. Use garden stakes to keep the sack garden upright if needed.
9. Enjoy your harvest!

Feed a hungry family

Read Khadidja's Story

Fighting Hunger

Teaching people to grow their own food for consumption and income is a step toward lifting themselves out of poverty permanently. World Concern teaches farming techniques, and provides equipment and seeds, giving people the tools they need to succeed.