Sharing health and harvest: the giving spirit of 13-year-old Aimable

Gardens for Health, in partnership with the UN World Food Programme, is striving to provide access to balanced nutrition to all children. Our agriculture, health, and nutrition trainings at schools across Rwanda provide important tools for sustainable sources of nutritious veggies .

At first, thirteen-year-old Aimable is a little shy. He’s in grade 5 at Gitega School, and his favorite lesson is math. Aimable stands hesitantly outside the door of his home in Kamihaha village, northwestern Rwanda, but as the conversation turns toward gardening, he opens up. 

“I want to work in agriculture when I grow up, so that I can raise animals and grow crops to sell on the market and share with my neighbors.” Gitega School’s garden has been a good place to start. “At school, my task is to weed and mulch the garden. I learned that if you don’t prepare the garden well, you don’t get any yield.” 

Of course, Aimable’s agriculture trainings have been paired with nutrition lessons. “We also learned about a four-color meal, which includes greens like amaranth, white like plantains, red like tomatoes, and brown, like beans or animal products. It’s important to eat a balanced diet, because it prevents stunting and malnutrition.” 

Aimable brought new skills, knowledge, and vegetables to his own garden at home. “I taught my parents that eating vegetables improves your vision. And, with the help of my teacher, I taught them how to make a home garden.” Now, passion fruit trees line the pathway to the back of the house, where patches of kale provided by GHI, the Home Grown School Feeding Program, and Gitega School flourish.

Aimable has a giving heart; he’s excited to share not only his expertise, but also his yield with those in need. “I love sharing with others. Because I understand the importance of eating vegetables, I’d like children my age to have a healthier life too.”

Story and photos by Jessica Wright.