Professor helps Haiti orphans grow food

Monday, March 26, 2012

Dr. Lynn Brandenberger was in Haiti recently to teach students and staff at orphanages to grow gardens for food crops. In this photo, Brandenberger oversees the mixing of compost that will be used to grow vegetables.

Professor trains orphans and staffers to garden in Haiti

OSU Professor Lynn Brandenberger traveled to Haiti recently to provide horticulture education and develop gardens in orphanages supported by the Oklahoma City-based, non-governmental Hunger Relief International. Brandenberger, a horticultural food crops extension and research specialist, trained a group of older orphans and orphanage staffers about multiple aspects of gardening, including planning, selecting crops, testing the soil, soil fertility and management, clearing soil, hand-plowing/tilling, planting, irrigation, and pest management.

“I was very impressed with both my host and my students, who worked very hard. My hope is that the training completed this week will inspire our students to work at learning and developing their gardening skills,” said Brandenberger. “Through this process, they should be able to encourage the children at their respective orphanages to not only learn how to produce nutritious and healthful food, but to also potentially develop businesses involved in the production and selling of food. My goal was to encourage people that there is hope for the future for good things for both our students and the children they so lovingly care for.”

HRI Executive Director Rachel Zelon expressed her appreciation for Brandenberger’s work, calling the training he provided “critical to the livelihoods and development of orphans and vulnerable children, which also gives the students the ability to provide nutritious food for their future families and aids in ending the cycle of hunger and poverty.”

“We look forward to a continuing relationship with Professor Brandenberger and Oklahoma State University—as well as other potential partners—as we work together to develop gardens for all 24 orphanages (1,250 children) and one school in Haiti,” said Zelon.

For more information, photos, or further details on this project, contact the agency at (405) 626-7326 or info@hungerreliefintl.org or visit www.hungerreliefinternational.org.