GRACE GROWS
At The Potter's House CBO we don't just know about malnutrition, we see it.
Childhood malnutrition remains a pressing issue in Njoro that affects the health and well-being of nearly every family referred to us.
To address this need, we have launched Grace Grows, a project aiming to reduce childhood malnutrition and promote self-sufficiency through education and practical skills—specifically, the establishment and maintenance of kitchen gardens and the rearing of small livestock.
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Participants engage in a comprehensive five-day course where they discover the importance of fresh, nutritious produce in their diets and gain practical knowledge about how to cultivate their own fruits and vegetables at home. The curriculum covers everything from soil preparation and planting techniques to pest management and seasonal planting tips, ensuring families can maximize their garden's yield throughout the year.
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This program recognises that teaching families how to grow their own food directly addresses the root causes of malnutrition. By establishing kitchen gardens, families can supplement their diets with fresh produce, reducing their dependency on store-bought foods that may not always be affordable. Furthermore, the healthier eating habits cultivated through gardening can have a lifelong impact on children, promoting better growth, development, and an overall healthier lifestyle.
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Alongside the gardening education, the project also introduces families to rabbit keeping—a sustainable source of protein. Participants learn best practices for caring for rabbits, including feeding, housing, and breeding. A family is then provided with a pair of rabbits to rear. Rabbit meat is not only a healthy protein source but also presents an opportunity for families to sell surplus rabbits or their products, thus generating additional income. For families living in larger compounds, the same is done with goats which will add fresh milk to their diets. An agreement with the family when they are given the animals means that the first female offspring of the given rabbit or goat is given to the organisation, to then be given to another family. All subsequent offspring are kept by the family for meat, milk or to be sold.
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This project aims to create lasting changes that extend beyond individual families to influence the entire community. By investing in community-driven solutions like kitchen gardens and livestock keeping, we can combat childhood malnutrition and promote a culture of self-sufficiency, resilience, and health.
