Fund a Sustainable School Vegetable Garden

Hello!!!!

Over the past few months, our Sustainable Gardens and Aquaponics project has taken some incredible steps forward in Zimbabwe and it’s all thanks to your ongoing support.

In October, our CEO and volunteers from the Murph Foundation visited us here in Zimbabwe, joining our Africa team for what was truly one of the best weeks we’ve had in years. With their guidance, energy, and expertise, we partnered with Women in Agriculture and a local children’s home to launch hands-on training and revamp existing systems.

Highlights:

• Women’s farming training: We welcomed 16 women eager to start farms to support their families and potentially earn an income. The first session focused on vermicomposting, a natural and free method to improve crop growth essential in Zimbabwe where soil fertility is low and fertilizers are expensive.

• School and children’s home systems: We repaired and upgraded existing Aquaponics and Industrial Vermicomposting systems, enabling children and communities to farm again and access fresh, nutritious food.

• Collaborative strategy sessions: Together with our local schools, children’s homes, Aquaponics team, Women in Agriculture, and our amazingly talented CEO, we developed a sustainable model for empowering women and feeding children. He has some incredible ideas!!!!

Challenges we’re addressing:

1. Systems become unusable when trained staff leave or resources are lacking.

2. Women face difficulties accessing land due to limited opportunities and bureaucratic delays.

3. School feeding programs are struggling.

4. Fertilizer is too expensive and water is scarce.

5. Many women are unregistered at birth, preventing access to government services, education, and banking.

Our Solutions & New Initiatives:

Our CEO, Tyrone Bennett, sat and listened to every issue and with his knowledge of every program around the world brought us together, they say power. in numbers is key and I for one was really. excited with these ideas....

• Birth registration program: Through our Paperless Children program, we support registering children and women, ensuring access to government services for $18 per child. https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-paperless-children-in-africa/ 

• Women land ownership: Women in Agriculture works with the government to fast-track land applications for women.

• Women-led farms: We are launching a program to train women and fund their Aquaponics systems, herb gardens, beekeeping, and vermicomposting. A local farming student will assist, and produce will be split: part donated to schools, part generating income for the women, and a percentage returned to the charity for reinvestment. After 2–3 years, systems are recycled to help new women farmers, creating a circular empowerment model.

Global Potential

While this pilot is currently focused in Zimbabwe, we see this as a global approach. If successful, the model can be replicated in Costa Rica and other communities around the world, combining sustainable farming, women’s empowerment, and community nutrition. Zimbabwe is the testing ground, but the lessons and systems we develop here have the potential to impact communities everywhere.

We are actively raising funds to repair existing systems, begin initial women farmer training, and use the Aquaponics systems to kickstart a larger greenhouse for the children’s home. This greenhouse will feed 60 children while generating income to sustain social support programs.

There’s so much happening, and the potential is enormous. We’re incredibly excited to take you along on this journey — together, we can grow healthier crops, empower women, and feed communities not just in Zimbabwe, but across the globe.

Thank you for being part of this transformative work!

Over the past few months, our Aquaponics project has continued to flourish in Zimbabwe and South Africa, and we’re excited to share the amazing progress you’re helping us achieve.

To date, we’ve installed five Aquaponics systems, and the results have been remarkable. Compared to traditional farming, these systems produce much healthier crops with far fewer failures. Because they’re grown inside protective structures, they take up less space—perfect for schools and programs with limited land.

The success stories keep coming in: fresh vegetables are now consistently available, and children and communities benefit from better nutrition and more reliable food sources.

Demand for these systems is growing fast—we receive daily requests for new installations. However, our fundraising has not kept pace with this demand, and in the past three months, donations have been limited. That’s why our focus now is on raising the funds necessary to install more systems and expand the positive impact.

The upcoming GlobalGiving Bonus Day on July 17 is a fantastic opportunity to supercharge our fundraising efforts. Donations made on that day will be matched up to 30%, so your support can go even further in helping us grow more gardens and healthier futures.

If you can donate or share our project with friends and family, you’ll be helping us meet the growing demand and continue this vital work.

Thank you for your ongoing support and belief in the power of sustainable farming.