SPROUT Program

The Sprout program is currently undertaken in schools in regional Uganda, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. The program up skills teachers to deliver curriculum that covers agroforestry, conservation and food nutrition. The school also receives a kitchen garden, which delivers valuable food for student lunches and provides them with a practical environment to implement their learning. The program also integrates a range of fruit and timber trees into the school yard, demonstrating multipurpose trees, which can provide fruit, timber, shade, shelter and amenity value.

The Sprout program is delivered by our Project Partners over a period of months including the teacher training, kitchen garden establishment and tree planting.

Outcomes: students gain valuable skills and knowledge in agroforestry and food nutrition in addition to having fruit and vegetables integrated into their diets (schools provide lunches for students). This is particularly important given that many farming families are headed by children - HIV epidemic impacted 18.5% of the population of 15-49 year olds in the early 1990s.

Costs: The Sprout program is provided to schools for approximately AUD$2,000. Where schools require water pumps or collection facilities (rainwater tanks), a further AUD$1,500 is needed. 

Partnerships: Several Australian schools, businesses and individuals have chosen to partner with one of our schools in Africa This has delivered mutual benefits. The Australian partners are able to (i) increase their global awareness by learning a little about life in Africa; (ii) take action by donating or organising fundraising activities to sponsor a Sprout program for an African school; and (iii) feel satisfied after receiving feedback from the African school, including photos and messages of thanks.