In the Centre d’Education et de Formattion des Jeunes, an elementary school in the heart of Cité Soleil, our Art + Nutrition and Art + Literacy programs came together to work hand in hand. We used storytelling and art projects to teach children all about the benefits of composting, a
practice whose importance cannot be overstated in one of the most trash-infested slums in the entire world. To teach about the benefits of composting and specifically vermi-composting using red earth worms, we used our friend Herbie The Worm and his book: National Worm Day. PHA’s Aimee Gaines, a resident of Cité Soleil and fluent Kreyol speaker, read the story of friendly Herbie and his pals out loud to a packed room full of school children.
At the end of the story she asked the children “who wants to be Herbie’s friend?” Children throughout the room eagerly raised their hands.
The art project that followed was a garden mural project. Each child completed one section of what came together to be a bright happy garden that Herbie would be happy to call home!
As the final step, we led the children outside with a big black bucket. The bucket contained compost, red worms, and one nutritious and delicious Moringa Tree. We then ceremoniously planted and blessed the tree with thoughts and wishes that it would grow big and strong and healthy, with the help of Herbie and his new friends from the school.
