Youth Empowerment – Growing Vegetables and Fruits to Improve mental health



Background:

1. In Today’s technologically advanced world,

Children are inundated with too much information.

2. Due to the presence of Social Media:

Constant/Continuous communications/urge to communicate.

3. Looking for instant gratification.

4. This type of environment can and has led to mental health problems.

Proposal:

1. Introduce children to urban gardening – Grow vegetables and fruits.

2. Main Idea is to introduce Children to nature and natures way of producing food for us.

3. Vegetables produced will be shared with Charities.

Learnings:

Children will think and understand:

1. Science and Engineering of how to grow healthy food.

2. Where does our food – vegetables and fruits come from.

3. How much time a vegetable/fruit takes to grow.

4. What it takes to grow our food.

5. How to maintain food supply for the humankind to survive and thrive…!

Expected Results:

1. Will help calm children down and will help in stress relief.

2. Increase focus and encourage them to stay and do well in school.

3. Will develop mindful eating habits.

Implementation:

1. Build raised garden beds complete with irrigation system.

2. How to Build Raised Garden Beds reference: Video from Chandanshamala Library.

3. Select Vegetables suitable for Arizona weather.

4. Plant vegetables in the raised garden beds.






Plant Fruit trees:

1. Select Fruit trees suitable for Arizona.

2. Prepare planting sites following Ellen White method.

3. Add Irrigation.

4. Plant the trees.