Page 8 - HOH
P. 8

A9
                                                                                                           LOCAL Monday 20 June 2022


















            University students of Aruba present findings of their survey about


            the potential of a school garden


            ORANJESTAD  –  Recently,  Maduro,  each  school  gar-     cultivation  from  a  young
            University  of  Aruba  stu-  den  is  a  valuable  educa-  age.
            dents Taisha Henriquez and  tional tool. It serves to cre-
            Zayliyah  Danje  presented  ate  awareness  and  stimu-   However,  there  is  a  finan-
            the  findings  of  their  survey  late  the  youth  about  the   cial   and   commitment
            “Why  are  School  gardens  importance  of  a  country    obstacles   to   maintain-
            an added value to Aruba’s  establishing  healthy  food    ing  these  school  gardens.
            Food  Security  and  Chil-   security for its community. It   There is now a better over-
            dren’s wellbeing?”           can also become a profes-    view  because  of  the  re-
                                         sional career, lowering the   search.  Santa  Rosa  has  a
            The  government's  main  dependency  on  imported         better  perspective  on  the
            goal is to stimulate the pri-  food  and  further  job  cre-  future school gardens and
            mary  sector  in  Aruba.  Not  ation.                     can  work  on  the  possible  each  child.  Santa  Rosa  is  research  and  presenting
            only  for  food  security  but                            solutions  to  make  each  grateful  to  Mrs.  Yolanda  the report to Mrs. Nathalie
            also  to  allow  the  youth  to  In March 2022, Santa Rosa   garden successful.        Richardson,  a  teacher  at  Maduro in the presence of
            come  in  contact  with  this  presented  the  research                                the  Research  Methodol-     Mr. Ludwig Rasmijn, respon-
            sector.                      theme  to  the  University  of   The students have created  ogy Introduction Module at  sible for the school projects.
                                         Aruba as part of a project   an  informative  poster  il-  the  Art  &  Science  Faculty
            In  2019  the  “Hofi  di  Amis-  for  the  students  to  assist   lustrating  the  five  charac-  of  the  University  of  Aruba  For more information, con-
            tad”,  the  project  started  with its execution. Two stu-  teristics  that  make  school  for her cooperation. Santa  tact  the  Department  of
            with  the  objective  to  start  dents  were  selected,  Tai-  gardens  a  beneficial  tool  Rosa is also very grateful to  Agriculture,  Livestock,  and
            school  gardens  (orchards)  sha Henriquez and Zayliyah   concerning  the  social,  nu-  students  Taisha  Henriquez  Fishery  (Santa  Rosa)  at
            backed by a maintenance  Danje  of  the  Social  Works    tritional  value  as  well  as  and Zayliyah Danje for their  5858102 or info@santarosa.
            plan  by  the  students.  Cur-  faculty,  to  initiate  the  re-  personal  development  of  dedication in executing the  aw.q
            rently,  two  participating  search through a survey, in
            schools  allow  for  measur-  collaboration with the San-
            ing  the  development  and  ta  Rosa,  about  the  theme
            success  of  each  one.  This  "Why  are  School  Gardens
            makes  it  possible  to  adjust  an added value to Aruba’s
            the model into a more du-    Food  Security  and  Chil-
            rable and practical format  dren’s wellbeing?”
            to  reach  the  main  goal
            and  effectiveness  of  the  The   students   collected
            gardens.                     data  for  their  research
                                         and  visited  the  two  exist-
            Many other schools want to  ing school garden projects
            create their school garden  and  other  entities  where
            but encounter setbacks for  Santa  Rosa  assisted  with
            different reasons. Some ob-  workshops  and  planting
            stacles  are  the  high  irriga-  materials in the past.
            tion  or  maintenance  costs
            and  the  upkeep  during  Another  essential  aspect
            the  vacation  seasons.  De-  of the research is a survey
            spite these obstacles, some  sent  to  teachers,  former
            schools  are  trying  hard  to  teachers,  parents,  profes-
            establish a small garden for  sionals,  and  department
            the children to enjoy.       heads. The aim was to get
                                         a better view of how each
            Santa   Rosa,   the   gov-   of  these  groups  sees  the
            ernment  department  in  effectiveness  of  develop-
            charge of the primary sec-   ing  more  school  gardens
            tor,  wants  to  evaluate  this  and  the  possible  impact
            project  to  help  develop  a  these can have on the chil-
            more  sustainable  plan  to  dren's health and develop-
            stimulate more school gar-   ment. Data shows that the
            dens in Aruban schools.      teachers  and  the  parents
                                         are  more  intrigued  by  this
            According  to  the  Director  project  and  recognize  the
            of Santa Rosa, Mrs. Nathalie  benefits of stimulating food
   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13