The garden is growing…. the healing is starting

Operation Hope Australia are so excited to be partnering with NGO Springs of Hope in their garden project they are establishing in the Shariya Camp, Duhok, Kurdistan.
The Garden will serve as an educational hub for the Shariya Camp schools and the Hope Centre classrooms providing volunteer opportunities for students to develop skills in agriculture/cultivation practices, environmental sustainability and social entrepreneurship. Social enterprises such as selling honey and making and selling soap and beeswax products (lotion, lip balm etc) will provide further skills and income opportunities for the children, youth and women rescuers of the Shariya Camp being served at the Hope Centre, the students of the Shariya camp schools and the larger community.

TIMELINE:
• Nov 2020: NGO Springs of Hope broke ground for the garden at Shariya Camp with the approval of local and regional government and camp officials.
• Feb 2021: erection of Garden fence and greenhouses, soil and sheep manure delivered, water tanks installed and planting beds marked. 40 Bare root fruit trees planted and vegetables seedlings were planted in the greenhouses
• March 2021: small groups of youth visit the Garden to start their Diary program.
• April 2021: Opportunities for rescuees to volunteer in the Garden and to receive agricultural education and the therapeutic benefits of working in the garden. Employees will be hired from the community at the Shariya Camp.
• September 2021: establishment of The Garden chicken and bee habitats and arrival of bees and chickens to provide honey and eggs to the 210 rescuers.
• December 2021: completion of the The Garden and building plans with raised beds, planted vegetables and fruit trees will be growing and harvested for distribution to the rescuees at the Hope Centre and larger camp community.
• December 2022: The garden will be regularly providing fresh vegetables and fruit as well as honey and eggs. A farm shop, coffee/tea shop, garden education room and courtyard with fountain will be built and operational.

BUDGET: Garden Building : USD32,200
Garden Monthly expenditure: USD2,300

DONATE:
Please DONATE generously to assist with the establishment of the “Garden of Hope” for the 210 x women, children and youth recently released from ISIS captivity.

See the DONATE button our home page: http://www.operationhopeaustralia.com
100% of your donations will be remitted to The Garden of Hope project. Donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Photo credits: Sohf Lisa at Shariya camp March 2021