Young students from different Schools in Kigali city are using sciences to create a mobile ‘City Farm’, where they grow vegetables and fruits aimed at eradicating malnutrition.
The students aged between 13 and 17 are from 9 schools who are members of the Association Mwana Ukundwa” and the project is being implemented in partnership with New York Academy of Sciences.
It is believed that the projects could bring about a solution to the nutritional problem.
Young students use small plots of land for residents of the City of Kigali, some of them have created ‘City Farms’ that can be movable, growing vegetables and fruits.
At the beginning, the project benefited over 550 and 118 from nine schools in Kicukiro districts from 01 January to 31 July, 2022.
In a press conference, the Deputy Director of Education at the New York Academy of Sciences, Dr. Meghan Groome, said that the selected students outstanding performance in creating good projects.
“This is a three-year project that will reach 3,000 high school students, mostly girls. What we do in that program, is that a group of six students come together to think of a problem related to science, and do research about it, then create a solution to that problem.” She said.
Meghan added that there is no land in Kigali City so that every citizen can have a garden from which they can harvest vegetables or fruits.
“With the help of ‘science’” “ she said “It is possible for people to eat vegetables and fruits grown in small area,” she said.
  Dr. Meghan Groome
Rugasire K. Euzebius, head teacher of G.S Kicukiro said that this project is important.
“We are excited by this initiative, it is amazing, and considering the knowledge these students have in the few months they spent in this project. It is not the first time that this is done in Rwanda, because it is done in private schools that have capacity” he said
“So, now what pleased us is that it is being done in 12 years basic education. These children would actually not get this knowledge. I hope it will help their families to tackle nutritional problems.” Rugasire said.
He added that in order for these children to be able to discover and make their projects stand out, all the companies in this project have been given internet, communication fees and selected employees who help the students are assisted in terms of transportation.
Among the projects carried out by these students in order to find a solution for the small land in Kigali city, the students studying in G.S Nyanza are the ones who did a best project called ‘Growing Vegetable’. Each student in the project was awarded $250.
Of the 479 successful students, 460 (96%) studying in nine school institutions in Kicukiro District who did good projects were given the opportunity by the New York Academy of Sciences to join the Junior Academy of Sciences, where they interact with students from around the world, and share knowledge that helps them discover different things related to ‘science’.
Iriba.news@gmail.com
