This garden is more than just a source of vegetables—it’s a symbol of growth, learning, and the positive transformation that happens when a community comes together for a shared cause

Background and Initiative:

For the past three years, the BNF team has been actively engaged with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Vidyalaya, Panoli, a high school with 93 students (40 girls and 43 boys). Recognizing the potential benefits of a Nutrition Garden (NG) for the school, the BNF team discussed the idea with the school principal. Despite initial enthusiasm, the principal highlighted challenges in setting up the NG due to limited resources.

Collaborative Planning and Fund Mobilization:

To overcome these challenges, the school staff and the BNF team strategized to mobilize funds and organized a meeting with parents. During this meeting, BNF staff emphasized the importance of a Nutrition Garden and the benefits of organic farming for health and sustainability. The parents responded positively, collectively contributing ₹25,000 towards the initiative. Additionally, BNF provided seeds for the garden.

Implementation and Outcomes:

In the first week of September, the Nutrition Garden was established on the school premises. Within two months of its inception, the garden began yielding vegetables, benefiting the school in multiple ways:

1. Nutritional Benefits: The vegetables from the garden, rich in essential nutrients, were incorporated into the mid-day meal scheme, enhancing the diet quality for students.
2. Educational Value: The initiative promoted awareness about nutrition and sustainable farming among students and the community.

This collaborative effort not only improved the students' dietary intake but also fostered a sense of ownership and community involvement, demonstrating the power of collective action.