Bunclody woman grows vegetables in tin cans to highlight Kenya poverty project

A Bunclody woman has been putting her green fingers to work growing vegetables in repurposed milk containers and tin cans to draw attention to a Christian Aid-funded urban farming project helping families in one of Nairobi’s most deprived neighbourhoods.

Valerie Power, a supporter of Christian Aid and a parishioner of St Mary’s Church of Ireland in Bunclody, took inspiration from a project in the Kenyan capital that helps mothers grow food in cramped city spaces, using whatever containers come to hand, plastic yogurt pots, discarded tin cans, growing them on rooftops, walls and any available patch of ground.

Her act of solidarity marks Christian Aid Week (10-16 May), which this year shines a light on the charity’s work in Dagoretti, a densely populated district of Nairobi where almost 300,000 people live in rented one-room homes built from corrugated metal, without access to basic services such as running water or toilets. Most residents earn less than a dollar a day, leaving many parents unable to afford nutritious food for their children.

Among those the project has supported is Fridah Moraa, a mother of three who became the sole breadwinner for her family following the death of her husband. Since joining the Christian Aid-funded initiative, Fridah has transformed a small piece of ground near her home into a productive vegetable patch, growing fresh produce she can both cook for her children and sell from her market stall. The income has allowed her to pay school fees and medical bills.

Valerie also helps to organise an annual parish walk in aid of Christian Aid Week. This year’s event took place on Saturday 9 May, setting out from Huntington Castle in Clonegal.

Christian Aid Ireland’s Chief Executive Rosamond Bennett paid tribute to Valerie’s efforts. “It’s only with the support of people like Valerie Power and parishes like Bunclody Union that we're able to help mothers like Fridah to grow food,” she said. “It’s thanks to their fundraising and their donations that Fridah is growing her way out of malnutrition and poverty, and building a more prosperous and hopeful future for her children.” Christian Aid Week, which began in the 1950s, is regarded as the longest-running fundraising campaign in the UK and Ireland, drawing tens of thousands of participants each year.

For more information or to donate, visit caweek.ie.