Farming rebuilds lives of drug users

MANILA, Philippines - East-West Seed Foundation, together with the Villar Sipag Foundation  and the provincial government of Bulacan, will teach improved vegetable gardening techniques to 200 drug surrenderers from the towns of San Jose Del Monte, Marilao, Norzagaray, and Angat in Bulacan from May to August 2017.

Launched on May 9, the initiative is part of the VSF’s community-based drug rehabilitation program called “Sagip Bukas”. 

According to the Bulacan Police Provincial Office, the province has 38,035 drug surrenderers as of May this year.

“We want to help build the capacity of the surrenderers on vegetable production for them to have a sustainable source of income and to further uplift the quality of their lives,” said Crisanto Sabino, executive director of East-West Seed Foundation.

 “We also aim to help the surrenderers have a more positive outlook on their lives. As they witness the gardens that they have nurtured flourish from a plot of empty soil into a lush and vibrant vegetable garden, we hope that they can develop a powerful sense of purpose,  discover the value of hard-work, and appreciate the benefits of teamwork,” he added.

The surrenderers will be trained to lead the establishment and maintenance of the  vegetable garden at the San Jose Del Monte Farm School in Bulacan. Practical skills and technical know-how on planting vegetables, from land preparation to harvesting, will be taught to the participants.

The training will be divided into 12 weekly 2-day sessions on vegetable production. The surrenderers will also be assisted in putting-up vegetable gardens in their own homes to empower them to become active advocates of home vegetable gardening, vegetable consumption, and healthy eating habits to their communities.

Since 2012, the East-West Seed Foundation has been actively promoting vegetable gardening to help create a healthier environment in communities in the country through its school-based vegetable gardening program “Oh My Gulay! - Tanim sa Kinabukasan”.

The program has benefited over 300 public elementary schools nationwide and reached out to around 15,000 school children.

East-West Seed Foundation envisions a future where every Filipino enjoys food security and proper nutrition through improved vegetable consumption and where vegetable farmers are economically and socially empowered to provide themselves and their families a better quality of life.