Today, many people in Western countries have negative feelings about the attitude of people in developing countries versus external aid actions. Indeed, some of them have been spoiled by development actions and programmes in the past, making them believe that their problems would be finally solved by permanent and unconditioned development aid. However, let us not generalize too much. Sustainable development aid means NOT ONLY offering free goods and food, BUT ALSO education and training to get these people in need less dependent. One of the most urgent problems to be solved is that of hunger and child malnutrition (See the Millennium Development Goals).
Container gardening seems to be one of the best methods or techniques to show the hungry people the way to self-sufficiency. We should use the lessons learned through programmes and projects to avoid our mistakes of the past. We should apply the best practices at the largest scale. And container gardening is one of them.
My personal experience with the “UNICEF-project of family gardens in the Sahara desert” (2005-2007) brought me the conviction that coordination of international aid actions can lead to swift alleviation of hunger and malnutrition by application of container gardening at the largest scale.
See my video and judge for yourself :
Family gardens in refugees camps 2008-2009
UNICEF project in the Sahara desert to combat child malnutrition in the Saharawis refugees camps (S.W. Algeria) by offering a small kitchen garden to every refugee family. Minimal efforts and investment for a maximal and sustainable result.
2009-11 : Children learn how to grow vegetables in discarded bottles (Photo Taleb BRAHIM)
