May 1st is a celebration of agriculture in Haiti. Despite all the recent gang violence and insecurity, The Children’s Academy held a wonderful agricultural celebration last week. An abundance of beautiful vegetables harvested from local gardens – The Children’s Academy gardens as well as gardens of students’ families – were proudly displayed. And some were cooked and enjoyed! They also sent home fresh produce with parents for a small fee.

Agriculture is an extremely important aspect of the experience at The Children’s Academy for both students and their families. The students and parents are enthusiastically learning permaculture practices by doing them. Permaculture is a great, sustainable way to significantly increase yields by taking better care of the soil.

All of this was accomplished together, in and through the spirit of “konbit” – a form of collaborative work that brings neighbors and communities together to cooperate for the benefit of everyone. At a time in Haiti where there are so many grave issues, folks were especially energized by the spirit of konbit that the school is cultivating through events like these.