Do you know what seed-balls are all about? Let our students show you.

 

The hottest part of the Summer holidays in Maharashtra, India is in May. Some days the temperature reaches 46C/115F! While the academic year for our students has ended, Gabriel Project Mumbai runs a four-week summer camp that we call ‘Summer Club’.

Hundreds of children of all ages from the Kalwa slums and the rural villages of Mokhada get together in the relative cool of the mornings and late afternoons for fun activities, a nutritious meal and creative learning from Gabriel Project Mumbai teachers. One of the most interesting activities is learning how to make seed-balls (also known as seed-bombs). GPM teachers explain the importance of trees in life and how urbanization and the depletion of forests adversely effect all our lives. So, how can we look after our environment? Well, one way is by making seed-balls! The seed-ball technique was created by Japanese farmer, Masanobu Fukuoka as a way to increase vegetable and tree production.

At Summer Club, children gather over a large metal dish and mix soil, clay, cow-dung and tree seeds and a little water, rolling out balls that are then dried for a few days in the sun. Later the children release the seed balls in areas where reforestation is required and when the rains come down in mid-July, the seeds germinate from their comfy and nutritious seed-ball! "This is very innovative for the children because usually small children are disempowered in planting trees as seedlings are costly and it is too hard for them to dig deep holes in the hard earth," says Sanket Kadu, GPM agriculture officer. "The seed-ball technique is effective in tree propagation and easy for children to feel part of looking after their homes and their planet." Such a fun activity and what a wonderful lesson that teaches us all that no matter how old we are and no matter where we live, we can all be activists for our environment. To donate to GPM:https://www.gabrielprojectmumbai.org/donate

This Mother’s Day, celebrating the mothers fighting for their children’s futures

Some of the mothers we meet through our work at Gabriel Project Mumbai fill us with awe and inspiration for their courage and dedication – and their willingness to do whatever it takes to give their children a better life.

This Mother’s Day, we would like to share two stories from this past year about mothers who stop at nothing to provide for their children.

Jayshree: The mother willing to sacrifice everything for her child to eat

Jayshree, a 20-year-old new mother from the village of Sartuli in the tribal region of Maharashtra, was having trouble feeding her baby. She barely had enough food in the house for herself, but what she did have, she gave to her infant, often foregoing eating herself. At six months old, her baby was already suffering from malnourishment, as was she.

Jayshree approached GPM three months ago, and we immediately began treating her child through our Bal Balwaan/Healthy Child Infant Malnourishment Program, providing the baby with supplements and nutrients – while also making sure that Jayshree herself had nutritious food to eat.

But we realized that we needed to do more. Mothers must also eat, and Jayshree wanted to be strong enough to be able to provide food for herself and her family. Jayshree enrolled in one of our livelihood programs so that she can now earn enough money to make sure that both she and her baby will have what to eat.

At nearly one year old, Jayshree’s baby is now flourishing – as is Jayshree. And Jayshree is not alone.

In the last 12 months over 300 children have been treated for Severe Acute Malnutrition, 75% moving out of the danger zone of severely malnourished…

I am so humbled by Jayshree’s courage and strength, and I am proud that GPM has been a part of this mother’s journey of devotion to her family. 

The mothers who want a computer education – like their children

Six months ago, a group of mothers from Kalwa whose children learn in our school, the Joshua Greenberger Learning Center, approached us with a special request. They said that the computer classes that we were delivering to their children was having a wonderful effect, that the kids were really enjoying it – and that they wanted to learn computers, too! Even though none of the women own computers, they understand the power of computer literacy and its role in gaining employment and breaking the cycle of poverty. They were determined to do whatever it takes to make changes in their lives, for themselves and for their families.

As a result of their initiative and gumption, GPM started computer literacy classes for women. Two batches of six women each meet weekly at the GPM Ida Zatz Leberman Computer Lab. Its early days to see what the effects of the computer classes will have on the lives of these mothers it is a phenomenal story about mothers coming together to support their children.