Wexford woman raises awareness about hunger in Nairobi with repurposed containers

Valerie Power in Wexford grows vegetables in empty milk containers and tin cans to raise awareness about hunger struggles worldwide. Her gesture is inspired by an urban farming project in Nairobi that helps mothers grow vegetables in limited city space. Vegetables are grown on rooftops, vertically on walls, and on any available scrap of land using repurposed containers. The effort supports Christian Aid Week, focused on poverty in Dagoretti, a densely packed area of rented one-room homes built from corrugated metal sheets with limited basic services. Many residents earn less than a dollar a day, making healthy food difficult to afford. Fridah Moraa, a mother of three, uses a small space to grow vegetables for her family and to sell, enabling nutritious meals, school fees, and medical bills.

"Valerie Power, a Christian Aid supporter and parishioner of St Mary's Church of Ireland in Bunclody, has been growing vegetables in empty milk containers and tin cans. Valerie's gesture is inspired by an urban farming project in Nairobi that's helping mothers to grow vegetables in cramped city spaces, enabling them to produce enough food to feed their families and surplus to sell for an income."

"With space in short supply, the vegetables are grown on rooftops, vertically on walls and on any available scrap of land, often using repurposed containers such as plastic yogurt pots and discarded tin cans. Valerie's act of solidarity marks Christian Aid Week, which took place between May 10 and May 16, with the campaign's focus being on the charity's work to help people living in poverty in a low-income neighbourhood in the Kenyan capital."

"In the densely packed streets and alleyways of Dagoretti almost 300,000 people live in rented one-room homes built from corrugated metal sheets, without basic services such as toilets and running water. Additionally, secure jobs are hard to find, and most people earn less than a dollar a day which means that many parents struggle to buy healthy food to feed their children."

"Since joining a Christian Aid funded project, Fridah has been making the most of a small space near her home to grow a steady supply of fresh vegetables that she can cook for her family or sell on her market stall. Now Fridah is able to feed her children nutritious meals, as well as pay school fees and medical bills thanks to the initiative."

Read at Irish Independent