International development projects are frequently temporary and seek
immediate solutions to symptoms of much larger problems.
Gardens for Health challenges this paradigm. The GHI model
represents a sustainablealternative to food aid packages, which can bring
immediate results but offer little incentive for self-sufficiency. Gardens for
Health aims to improve the health and socioeconomic status of Rwandans living
with HIV/AIDS by equipping them with a different kind of package:
(1) Cooperative formation & land
advocacy
(2) Inputs for community & home gardens
(3) Agriculture & nutrition
training
(4) Income generation through
agribusiness
This program targets the vicious cycle perpetuated by HIV/AIDS
and malnutrition.
Gardens for Health does not promise participants an immediate
solution; rather, the gardens serve as places for those facing similar
challenges to mobilize and work together to produce their own high-nutrient food
and generate income. By working with existing community groups, GHI strengthens
local, existing infrastructure rather than impose new protocols and
structures. |
