Freedom from hungers lies beneath their feet

In rural Cambodia, you need look no further than the soil beneath your feet to be reminded of poverty’s absolute dominion over the poorest families in the country.

The soil, while capable of growing a rich variety of vegetables, remains unproductive under the footprints left by family members on their daily journey to scavenge scraps of food from the local market or forest.

The families are so poor that they cannot afford even the most basic garden tools, much less the seeds and fertilizer required to transform the soil beneath their feet into a way out of hunger and poverty.

Rather than starve, families eat concoctions void of any significant nutritional value, including boiled leaves and a watery paste of rice. The long-term effects of chronic malnutrition are especially evident among the youngest members of the families.

HOPE International Development Agency is providing a solution to hunger among Cambodia’s poorest families by helping them transform the soil beneath their feet into gardens of hope that produce a bountiful harvest of nutritious vegetables throughout the year.

In addition to receiving an armful of sturdy gardening tools, families are also given a large quantity and variety of vegetable seeds, training in how to prepare organic fertilizers from locally available materials, and health education, ensuring that the benefits of proper nutrition and sanitation are well understood and received.

Learn more about how gardens of hope are helping Cambodia’s poorest families free themselves from hunger and how you can help.