By a member of Team Hope in Southeast Asia | Asia

Team Hope started a garden program during Covid. This program was born out of a community’s desire to better feed their families amidst the hardships of Covid, economic or otherwise.

V*, one particular mother whom we met through the program, joined the program without high expectations. Her family’s home was adjacent to the bay, which means salty soil and often salty irrigation. Over the course of many months, V’s garden went from a small potting of various veggies to an expansive offering of vegetables and flowers, modeling sustainable vegetable gardening for her community. Her face beams with pride at what she is able to provide for her household in the midst of such agricultural adversity. She has grown organic beans, gourds, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, and different leafy crops. All of these were started from seed packets in our garden kit.

Now V and her family can be generous by sharing the many vegetables grown. They have the ability to barter or sell the vegetables as well as having enough for their own family.

This program allows Team Hope to be a part of community lives and meet others we might not have the ability to interact with otherwise. This garden program allows us to be truly with people and gives us the opportunity to share true peace with those who are hungry for it.

*Name changed for privacy

Learn more about SEND’s teams in Asia!