Urban Agriculture Opens Hearts in Liberia
The Eden Project teaches urban growers in Monrovia how to multiply their harvests and increase income.
Samaritan’s Purse
Apr 24, 2023
Excerpt:
She is one of dozens of students in our Eden Project in Monrovia, an urban gardening program developed by Samaritan’s Purse in Liberia to help city-dwelling agriculturists use small growing spaces to make a living. Students receive training, materials and tools, and ongoing input for their gardens.
Having fresh produce growing in their own backyards has improved the nutrition and health of families in our program, staving off what’s become a citywide problem of malnourishment for countless children in the capital.
“Some families just aren’t aware of what’s causing their toddler to become sick, but we see it every day,” said Daniel Ruiz, Samaritan’s Purse country director in Liberia. “They bring them into our screening clinics. The hair has lost its color. The child is listless. It’s malnutrition. This was one of many reasons we started the Eden Project years ago.”
Our students also learn about important business practices and budgeting skills. Our advisors help them work with local vendors to secure fair prices, a constant challenge for growers like Korpo. Eden Project families typically use profits from their produce sales to pay for school fees, clothing, and other important expenses.
“I feel proud,” Korpo said. “It makes me feel strong that I can grow on my own, that I can generate money and grow food for my family.”
Korpo is a single mother with two young children, and she already had been doing some light gardening when our teams met her. Our program focuses on identifying those who have both financial need and some experience in agriculture.
