Establishing Hands on Manila vegetable gardens in public schools during COVID-19 pandemic

The pandemic laid bare the fragility of global supply chains, leaving communities vulnerable. Hands On Manila (HOM) recognized the urgent need for localized solutions. Urban gardening, once seen as a valuable educational tool, emerged as a lifeline for communities facing uncertainty. 

HOM's "COVID-19 Sustainable Food Security" initiative in Servathon 2020 turned this challenge into an opportunity for transformation. By converting 10 public school spaces into flourishing vegetable gardens, HOM sowed the seeds of self-sufficiency and resilience, forging a path towards a more secure food future.

Building on the success of the previous year, HOM unveiled its "Harvest for Health" program during its Servathon 2021. Amid ongoing challenges, this initiative demonstrated the healing power of gardening. Another 10 public school vegetable gardens became sanctuaries of well-being for volunteers, students and families.  

Servathon 2020 and 2021 adopted a total of 2,431 square meters of idle land to create 20 gardens that benefited 37,322 beneficiaries to date.

The said 20 adopted vegetable gardens were:

From the 20 adopted community vegetable gardens, HOM conducted a bi-weekly harvest of the following crops: spinach, sitaw, patola, papaya, saluyot, munggo, sigarilyas, chili, lettuce, cucumber, mustasa, okra, kangkong, pechay, patola, kamatis, talong, upo, talinum, alugbati and calamansi.

Amid social distancing measures, the HOM urban gardening initiative brought communities together in a unique way. Volunteers, students, teachers, and parents collaborated to nurture these gardens, fostering a sense of shared purpose and responsibility. While adhering to safety protocols, gardening activities provided an avenue for meaningful interaction, offering a respite from isolation. Seedlings were grown and distributed, produce was harvested and cooked for the members of the schools and the community.  

Through the act of planting, nurturing, and harvesting, HOM is cultivating not just vegetable gardens, but a sense of hope and agency that transcends adversity. In these trying times, urban gardening proves that even amidst uncertainty, HOM can sow the seeds of a brighter, more secure