Children exposed to violence support Farm to Fork project

Apia, Samoa – August 26, 2024 – Eighteen (18) children aged 12 to 18 years who are survivors of violence and are cared for at the Hope School Shelter, are the founding members of a gardening club that was established on campus. The Gardening Club consists of 14 girls and 4 boys and is supervised by the Samoan Victims Support Group.

The program is exciting Farm-to-table gardening and cooking projects The project is being implemented by children in the school, thanks to the World Health Organization’s “Best Proposal for Healthy Islands” grant won by SVSG in 2023.

The project established a gardening club for child residents who were interested in vegetable gardening.

First, members of the Gardening Club delved into sustainable gardening in Module 1, where they learned how to grow vegetables and understood the importance of environmentally friendly practices.

In module 2, SVSG Young Chef Explore healthy cooking and vegetable preparation. They discover the art of preparing fresh, nutritious vegetables and the basics of healthy meals.

Finally, in Module 3, they will put their skills to the test with Healthy Cooking – Cooking and Food Presentation. They will learn how to create delicious meals and present them beautifully, making healthy eating fun and exciting!

The project aims to equip children with valuable skills in gardening and cooking, and to foster a love for healthy living and sustainability.

Additionally, the project uses gardening and cooking as tools to help foster the recovery of abused and vulnerable children on campus.

The project is an initiative of the “Healthy Islands” vision, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO). The vision aims to nurture healthy children; create an environment conducive to learning and leisure; and achieve a proud ecological balance.

“This project is unique. It focuses on gardening and cooking as tools to help traumatized children in shelters for abused and vulnerable children in Samoa; a country with high rates of violence and obesity,” said Siliniu Lina Chang, president of Samoa Children’s Services Corps.

“We are extremely grateful for WHO’s support and cannot wait to share the amazing results of this project with the guests invited to come and sample the horticultural and culinary techniques developed by the Hope Campus chefs.”