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August 2024: The second year of another 2-year phase of KGP funded by the Schöck Foundation of Germany and the Guru Krupa Foundation of the US started in June. Rajan, Vallis husband, who accompanies the programme, writes very copiously about his experience in the field with the various schools and the successful introductions and trainings prior to establishing the actual gardens. It would be too much to copy all this on the website. I therefore would like to ask the followers of Anisha to follow the Facebook sign on the top right of this page to learn about latest developments of the KGP in new areas of Charmarajanagar.
This is the third consecutive year in this school, where we have the joy of being with enthusiastic young minds. May the sowings provide greater yields, writes Rajan about working with this particular government school.
January 2024: Geometry utensil boxes for new students of the KGP programme
End 2023: Nailini and Muthu Kumar - sister and brother amidst the kitchen garden they created round their family home. Nailini proudly takes a pumpkin to school to augment the midday meal - Muthu Kumar shows off the longbeans he has grown
November 9th: Visit from Indienhilfe Wallenhorst. Christian Böll and his wife Franziska visited Anisha for a week to discuss possible cooperation and synergies. Their mission is to eradicate povery through education. They work successfully in various parts of India.
Meeting students and teachers during visit to one of Anishas KGP schools
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Valli, Rajan and staff meeting for a farewell picture with Christian and Franziska
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On the 22nd of October Valli writes: Today we had Ayudha pooja (tools festivals) tools which we use for agriculture, household, vehicles etc. so at Anisha we did the festival and took some photos which I am sending it to you.An impressive array of cars and motorcycles to choose from according to the occasion. Presented by Valli and Rajan and their longtime faithful staff.
Latest and most needed acquisition: a vehicle in the name of the Foundation
October 2023: The various regular donors of Anisha are happy to report that they managed to raise 17.000 USD to buy a suitable vehicle for Anishas KGP that will allow the staff all the flexibility and safety needed to reach destinations further off. India, due to the challenges of rocky roads and by-roads can boast to produce some of the most beautiful off-the-road vehicles at reasonable prices. Valli picked a Mahindra Bolero neo in a handsome green - called Rocky Beige. It can accommodate up to 7 people.
October 2023: The various regular donors of Anisha are happy to report that they managed to raise 17.000 USD to buy a suitable vehicle for Anishas KGP that will allow the staff all the flexibility and safety needed to reach destinations further off. India, due to the challenges of rocky roads and by-roads can boast to produce some of the most beautiful off-the-road vehicles at reasonable prices. Valli picked a Mahindra Bolero neo in a handsome green - called Rocky Beige. It can accommodate up to 7 people.
Growing vegetables for the regular midday school meal
Rajan, Vallis husband and faithful chronicler of Anishas activites on Facebook writes in September 2023:
Schools play a vital role in the socio-economic development of a society. The majority of students in government schools across the country come from low-income families. This is where the mid-day meal comes in which is now compulsory in State schools. It is an enticing incentive for parents to keep their children at school. This way they can ensure that their child will receive at least one square meal a day. A study also discovered that the 14 states that implemented mid-day meals in the late 1990s had improvements in child height before the rest of the country.
The findings imply that providing right calories during the primary school years can make significant benefits to lowering future child stunting. A fifth of the cost for daily meal goes towards freh vegetables. A paltry sum, one may argue, but vegetables are seasonal and their prices are erratic in the market. Even the commonest of vegetables like onions and tomatoes can vary from Rs. 10 to Rs.100 per kilo. A kitchen garden in every school can grow local vegetables all through the year and address this issue. A mix of perennials and seasonals enables to keep the mid-day meals nutritious and the children bright. But what can be observed is, that they are not used to eating vegetables and will put them aside on their plates. So it needs some nutritional education and preferably a garden right next door to get into the good habit of consuming vegetables along with the minimum required calories.
#schoolkitchengardenproject #schoolnutritionalgarden #kgp #anisha #organickitchengarden #chamarajanagarschools #annapurnesadaapurne
Schools play a vital role in the socio-economic development of a society. The majority of students in government schools across the country come from low-income families. This is where the mid-day meal comes in which is now compulsory in State schools. It is an enticing incentive for parents to keep their children at school. This way they can ensure that their child will receive at least one square meal a day. A study also discovered that the 14 states that implemented mid-day meals in the late 1990s had improvements in child height before the rest of the country.
The findings imply that providing right calories during the primary school years can make significant benefits to lowering future child stunting. A fifth of the cost for daily meal goes towards freh vegetables. A paltry sum, one may argue, but vegetables are seasonal and their prices are erratic in the market. Even the commonest of vegetables like onions and tomatoes can vary from Rs. 10 to Rs.100 per kilo. A kitchen garden in every school can grow local vegetables all through the year and address this issue. A mix of perennials and seasonals enables to keep the mid-day meals nutritious and the children bright. But what can be observed is, that they are not used to eating vegetables and will put them aside on their plates. So it needs some nutritional education and preferably a garden right next door to get into the good habit of consuming vegetables along with the minimum required calories.
#schoolkitchengardenproject #schoolnutritionalgarden #kgp #anisha #organickitchengarden #chamarajanagarschools #annapurnesadaapurne
First comes the initiation into the programme
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Scope of Anishas work with schools widens in 2023 and 2024
End of 2022 Susiladharma Germany managed to secure a grant from the German Schöck Family Foundation for Anishas KGP project. Their mission is: Future through Education, and they support projects to promote school- and vocational trainings in India, Nepal and some African countries. Anishas KGP fits their portfolio, and thus Anisha will be able to continue the KGP for the years 2023 and 2024, which means that the programme reaches into 2025, as this particular project year starts in June. The Guru Krupa Foundation, which has made the start of this amazing project possible in 2016, is contributing 14.000 USD for the period 2023-2024. As the map below shows, the scope of Anishas KGP work has widened considerably. The farthest school - Alambadi - see below in left hand corner is 80 kms away and located in a forest. To get there, Anisha can now rely on their own transport, the newly acquired Mahindra Bolero Neo, that sits 7 people and can carry tools and seeds and other equipment.
End of 2022 Susiladharma Germany managed to secure a grant from the German Schöck Family Foundation for Anishas KGP project. Their mission is: Future through Education, and they support projects to promote school- and vocational trainings in India, Nepal and some African countries. Anishas KGP fits their portfolio, and thus Anisha will be able to continue the KGP for the years 2023 and 2024, which means that the programme reaches into 2025, as this particular project year starts in June. The Guru Krupa Foundation, which has made the start of this amazing project possible in 2016, is contributing 14.000 USD for the period 2023-2024. As the map below shows, the scope of Anishas KGP work has widened considerably. The farthest school - Alambadi - see below in left hand corner is 80 kms away and located in a forest. To get there, Anisha can now rely on their own transport, the newly acquired Mahindra Bolero Neo, that sits 7 people and can carry tools and seeds and other equipment.
July 2022, 30 more schools targetted for 2022/23
With funding from Guru Krupa Foundation and Subud Woodstock Anisha started phase 5 of the Kitchen garden project from July 2022 onwards in 17 panchayats covering 30 schools and 1500 children. Orientation and demonstration at schools held, seeds distributed to students, and students’ gardens also developed with the support of the Anisha team. Our field staff is visiting once a month the children's gardens and documenting the process. The selection of schools was very rigorous according also to the needs of the students, so a lot of travel is involved. Sometimes the field staff stays in the school/village overnight because of the long travel. From next month onward a few of the schools teachers are planning to visit Anisha to learn more on KG, and of native seeds. So this year the KGP has a new dimension and more people will visit Anisha. Funding this time is not accompanied by Susila Dharma USA, but was negotiated by Valli herself who is in close touch with GKF.
All concentrating on training the school students in organic kitchen gardens to address the Nutritional deficiency at the school level. Orientation, training, demonstration, seed distribution, regular visits to school gardens and students' gardens, monitoring the gardens, cluster level meetings etc are conducted in the KGP project. Here we use the permaculture methods of gardening which the children can adopt in their homes too.
With funding from Guru Krupa Foundation and Subud Woodstock Anisha started phase 5 of the Kitchen garden project from July 2022 onwards in 17 panchayats covering 30 schools and 1500 children. Orientation and demonstration at schools held, seeds distributed to students, and students’ gardens also developed with the support of the Anisha team. Our field staff is visiting once a month the children's gardens and documenting the process. The selection of schools was very rigorous according also to the needs of the students, so a lot of travel is involved. Sometimes the field staff stays in the school/village overnight because of the long travel. From next month onward a few of the schools teachers are planning to visit Anisha to learn more on KG, and of native seeds. So this year the KGP has a new dimension and more people will visit Anisha. Funding this time is not accompanied by Susila Dharma USA, but was negotiated by Valli herself who is in close touch with GKF.
All concentrating on training the school students in organic kitchen gardens to address the Nutritional deficiency at the school level. Orientation, training, demonstration, seed distribution, regular visits to school gardens and students' gardens, monitoring the gardens, cluster level meetings etc are conducted in the KGP project. Here we use the permaculture methods of gardening which the children can adopt in their homes too.
It is impressive to see the result of the KGP effort in 2022 alone - considering that the produce augments family meals as well asschoolmeals, thereby contributing to family economics and increased health in all participants and their families, not to forget the teachers who partake in the school meals
Rajan Palaniyappan, Vallis husband, who is involved in the KGP programme in various capacities, a.o. as a diligent chronicler, writes:
Simple activity that helps children understand the economics of farming.
Like in any rural school in India, children are bugged by lack of retention time. Long lectures are not for children in grade seven. So, we employ audiovisuals. Documentaries beyond ten minutes are also not conceived thoroughly. So, we have always remained experimental with the module we deliver in each school. Absolutely no set rules with what we start, how we proceed to hold the children for half a day. The post lunch sessions are however set aside for practical sessions and children are the happiest to be outside the walls.
An imaginary situation was created where children were given a hundred rupees and split up the cost of growing a crop of their choice. To begin with they split the costing into that of purchase of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural labor, cost of water. Students were encouraged to work out their spending pattern upon which discussions were held. Those students who had chosen water, pesticides and Seeds as their top priority in spending had to explain why they were doing so. Also, those who had put these items as least expensive on their list spoke about their reasoning.
At the end of the discussion, the children realized that a person who doesn’t invest much upon fertilizers and pesticides would be safer with the business. Needless to be mentioned is the net savings one would be making if he opted to go with native seeds. The whole discussion was lively and led to a better understanding of making the choice of organic methods in contrast to chemical methods.
Follow also Rajan on Instagram with more information: www.instagram.com/p/ChLsAUcp6SK/
Simple activity that helps children understand the economics of farming.
Like in any rural school in India, children are bugged by lack of retention time. Long lectures are not for children in grade seven. So, we employ audiovisuals. Documentaries beyond ten minutes are also not conceived thoroughly. So, we have always remained experimental with the module we deliver in each school. Absolutely no set rules with what we start, how we proceed to hold the children for half a day. The post lunch sessions are however set aside for practical sessions and children are the happiest to be outside the walls.
An imaginary situation was created where children were given a hundred rupees and split up the cost of growing a crop of their choice. To begin with they split the costing into that of purchase of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural labor, cost of water. Students were encouraged to work out their spending pattern upon which discussions were held. Those students who had chosen water, pesticides and Seeds as their top priority in spending had to explain why they were doing so. Also, those who had put these items as least expensive on their list spoke about their reasoning.
At the end of the discussion, the children realized that a person who doesn’t invest much upon fertilizers and pesticides would be safer with the business. Needless to be mentioned is the net savings one would be making if he opted to go with native seeds. The whole discussion was lively and led to a better understanding of making the choice of organic methods in contrast to chemical methods.
Follow also Rajan on Instagram with more information: www.instagram.com/p/ChLsAUcp6SK/
May 20, 2022
As a first step to including all schools in the area in the KGP, also primary schools, a manual produced with the assistance of NUE from Germany was published in Kannada in a sufficient quantity to hand out to all the schools in the area. It was decided that at a later stage local teachers would receive training at the Anisha RC on how to implement what is written and drawn in the manual.
As a first step to including all schools in the area in the KGP, also primary schools, a manual produced with the assistance of NUE from Germany was published in Kannada in a sufficient quantity to hand out to all the schools in the area. It was decided that at a later stage local teachers would receive training at the Anisha RC on how to implement what is written and drawn in the manual.
July 2021: Anisha has produced a video about its work in the last 20 years, focussing primarily on the planning and beginnings of the Kitchen Garden Project for students which has successfully completed four consecutive phases and will start a 5th round, once the Corona pandemic is safely over and the schools are open again. Listen to Valli, educators, teachers, the students who have created their own gardens and their parents who speak of the benefits for the family economy as a result of the production of wholesome vegetables by their children:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tFGfCy_lC9jliaCmaJr9ab_fX2xnViKV/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tFGfCy_lC9jliaCmaJr9ab_fX2xnViKV/view
Kitchen Gardens for Students of 23 regional secondary schools
Susiladharma USA is proud and happy to report that Anisha successfully completed year 4 f the first phase of a Kitchen Garden Project (KGP) for students of grades 7-10 of 23 regional schools. Tthe goal of teaching 1400 students the basic skill of designing, establishing and nurturing a kitchen garden fror five to six months of the year over the four-year-course from preparing the soil, sowing and planting native seeds and saplings to harvesting and seed conservation, was even exceeded. Placed next to the house, these gardens are less prone to suffer at times of drought, due to available wasewater and other strategies of water conservation. around the schools which in rural areas are surrounded by suitable grounds, gardens were also established and the produce used to augment school meals. Anisha has slowly begun to reshape the local food culture in the Martalli Region. For a very precise overview of results by number of varieties and seeds saved, please take a look at: Vegetable_ Production_ and_Seed_ Saving_ KGP_ 2019-2020. The present programme will continue until
Starting with 743 participating students in year 1, the program has added new students each year while retaining the former ones. This model has produced a rolling effect of creating approximately 200 post-tenth grade students each year who either remain in their village or go on to new educational settings. They bring their kitchen gardening skills and experience with them. Some students who have gone on to boarding schools have started kitchen gardens there. Forty percent of the children in the KGP share the the native seeds they saved from their own gardens with neighbors, relatives and friends. Younger siblings and family members of all ages have adopted organic kitchen gardening and are continuing the work at home. They have learned the benefits of fresh produce from their own gardens and their effect on the household economy.
With 1361 students currently growing a garden, Anisha has slowly begun to reshape the local food culture in the Martalli Region. For a very precise overview of results by number of varieties and seeds saved, please take a look at: Vegetable_ Production_ and_Seed_ Saving_ KGP_ 2019-2020. The present programme will continue until December 2020 with funding from various sources. A continuation beyond 2020 and the targetting of more schools is presently under review.
The KGP was made possible through the generous annual grants of the major donor, the Guru Krupa Foundation (GKF). In its fourth year, the project was also supported by the Paull Family Foundation and the NUE Foundation in Germany. Thanks are owed also to many Susila Dharma organizations, led by SD USA as well as individual donors. Special thanks also to the project administrator Marilyn Schirk, who has visited the project every year, together with Aminah Ulmer (photos and videos) to monitor it's progress and to supply donors with the very precise reports, that are published here.
Starting with 743 participating students in year 1, the program has added new students each year while retaining the former ones. This model has produced a rolling effect of creating approximately 200 post-tenth grade students each year who either remain in their village or go on to new educational settings. They bring their kitchen gardening skills and experience with them. Some students who have gone on to boarding schools have started kitchen gardens there. Forty percent of the children in the KGP share the the native seeds they saved from their own gardens with neighbors, relatives and friends. Younger siblings and family members of all ages have adopted organic kitchen gardening and are continuing the work at home. They have learned the benefits of fresh produce from their own gardens and their effect on the household economy.
With 1361 students currently growing a garden, Anisha has slowly begun to reshape the local food culture in the Martalli Region. For a very precise overview of results by number of varieties and seeds saved, please take a look at: Vegetable_ Production_ and_Seed_ Saving_ KGP_ 2019-2020. The present programme will continue until December 2020 with funding from various sources. A continuation beyond 2020 and the targetting of more schools is presently under review.
The KGP was made possible through the generous annual grants of the major donor, the Guru Krupa Foundation (GKF). In its fourth year, the project was also supported by the Paull Family Foundation and the NUE Foundation in Germany. Thanks are owed also to many Susila Dharma organizations, led by SD USA as well as individual donors. Special thanks also to the project administrator Marilyn Schirk, who has visited the project every year, together with Aminah Ulmer (photos and videos) to monitor it's progress and to supply donors with the very precise reports, that are published here.
For full reports of each of the 4 years go to the following links:
year_1_of_kgp_for_schools_2016-2017.pdf
year_2_of_kgp_for_schools_2017-2018.pdf
year_3_of_kgp_for_schools_2018/2019.pdf
mid-year_report_-_anisha_kgp_year_4.pdf
year_4_of_kgp_for_schools_2019-2020.pdf
Short videos by Aminah Ulmer of SD USA show the efforts and results from 2016 until 2020
year 1: kitchen_garden_year_one_on_ vimeo.html
year 2: kitchen_garden_year_two_on_vimeo.html
year 3: kitchen_garden_year-three_on_vimeo.html
year 4: kitchen_garden_year_four_on_vimeo.html
School Kitchen Gardener’s Food Festival at ANISHA Resource Center in 2017
This program was designed to become an event for a number of reasons: Primarily it was an occasion for the children of Martalli Panchayath to get together and share their produce. It was decided that we give an opportunity for the children to involve in a group activity like cooking and sharing the meal. The response to this activity was overwhelming and more than 120 children gathered. They all brought vegetables from their gardens. A dozen teams were formed and a stock of 130 kgs of vegetables thrown open to them. From spinach to mammoth sized bottle gourd, there were twelve varieties of vegetables in all, and the children had their choice of a copious share of garnishing materials from the kitchen and the garden at Anisha. The teams prepared about thirty dishes in three hours. There was a festive mood in the campus and children hurriedly carted firewood, chopped the vegetables and stirred the pot in a competitive frenzy. Mr. John Don Bosco, and John Britto, cultural delegates from the locality, were invited to taste the recipes prepared by the children and comment upon it. They both were spellbound by the results and applauded the culinary skills of the children and their knowledge of the nutritional values of the vegetables they had used. Anisha’s kitchen had cooked loads of rice which was served to all the children, and which they enjoyed with the curries they had prepared.
This program was designed to become an event for a number of reasons: Primarily it was an occasion for the children of Martalli Panchayath to get together and share their produce. It was decided that we give an opportunity for the children to involve in a group activity like cooking and sharing the meal. The response to this activity was overwhelming and more than 120 children gathered. They all brought vegetables from their gardens. A dozen teams were formed and a stock of 130 kgs of vegetables thrown open to them. From spinach to mammoth sized bottle gourd, there were twelve varieties of vegetables in all, and the children had their choice of a copious share of garnishing materials from the kitchen and the garden at Anisha. The teams prepared about thirty dishes in three hours. There was a festive mood in the campus and children hurriedly carted firewood, chopped the vegetables and stirred the pot in a competitive frenzy. Mr. John Don Bosco, and John Britto, cultural delegates from the locality, were invited to taste the recipes prepared by the children and comment upon it. They both were spellbound by the results and applauded the culinary skills of the children and their knowledge of the nutritional values of the vegetables they had used. Anisha’s kitchen had cooked loads of rice which was served to all the children, and which they enjoyed with the curries they had prepared.
In December 2018, Aminah Herman of SD USA writes: A morning of thanks at Anisha as students drew pictures about their gardens and talked about how they felt growing vegetables for their families. We showed videos we made of them for our reports and shared lunch, gave out gifts of art supplies and special sweets were give in appreciation for their time. At this event we had about 30 out of the 1000 students in the Kitchen Garden Project.
Kitchen Gardens for Tribal Communities
The kitchen garden project with tribal communities took place in three villages. Even though there was a water scarcity in the village these 130 families are growing vegetables like radish, okra, field bean, tomato pumpkin, bottle gourd and sponge gourd. 102 families saved seeds from the previous harvest and Anisha provided seeds for the remaining 28 families. On an average 10-12 kgs. of vegetables was grown and consumed by each family. 130 families generated 1331 kgs. of vegetables and saved Rs.37,700/-. Anisha staff visits the villages once a month to provide ongoing support.
Valli meeting with tribal women
Valli meeting with tribal women
MAILING ADDRESS: Anisha . Kadabur Village . Odaradotti . Martalli Post . Kollegal Taluk . Pin Code 571444 . Chamarajnagar District . Karnataka State . India
E-MAIL: [email protected] . PHONE: (91) 9448872207
E-MAIL: [email protected] . PHONE: (91) 9448872207
@Website, videos and photos by Myra Margolin. Additional design by Osanna Favre and additional photos by Anisha, the Human Force Volunteer Camp, Renee Zimmer
and Aminah Herrman. Updates Renee Zimmer and Valli Krishnaswamy, eMail Renee: [email protected]
and Aminah Herrman. Updates Renee Zimmer and Valli Krishnaswamy, eMail Renee: [email protected]