November Project of the Month: Growing Goodness in Palau
Peace Winds recently began a new initiative to put healthy eating in the hands of kids and adults in Palau. In November, donations to the Project of the Month Club will help families learn to grow their own vegetables in community gardens and use them in new recipes that are both healthy and delicious.
(Or if you’d prefer to make a one-time donation, click here. Every bit makes a difference, no matter the size.)
Palau is a very isolated island nation in the Pacific that relies heavily on imports. So while residents often say they would like to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, the high cost puts them out of reach. Instead, many families must opt for cheaper, highly processed and fast foods, with Spam and unhealthy snacks ubiquitous.
This tendency is contributing to a non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis in Palau. Meanwhile, a persistent shortage of nurses and doctors in the country means that conditions like type II diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease often go undiagnosed and untreated.
Since 2022, Peace Winds has been working to address issues related to healthcare worker shortages and NCD education, testing, and treatment. Now we’re also helping to make healthy eating more accessible in three states.
Our staff began by contracting local carpenters to build the structures for the tabletop gardens. We are working to help familiarize local communities with this platform-style method; plants are less vulnerable to pests this way than when planted in the ground. And because community members don’t have to bend down or kneel to care for them, they are more accessible for children, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
Peace Winds’ work in Palau is carried out in close partnership with the national, state, and local governments. So local representatives from each state learned to plant and start caring for the seedlings. They plan to sustain the program in the long term by continuing to cultivate the gardens with the help of local residents.
Finally, to kick off the program and let everyone know what was growing, Peace Winds held events for children and families. The main attraction was a cooking class designed to show participants that healthy foods can taste good. This is another barrier to healthy eating in Palau. Families made chicken burgers and okra salad using ingredients that are readily available, so they are easy to make at home.
The children particularly enjoyed mixing the ingredients and shaping the patties for the burgers.
Many of them were hesitant to try the okra salad, but after taking a bite, the most common review was “Yummy!” Making and eating the food together with their families helped them feel closer to it.
Officials and residents continue to care for the gardens in each state. When they are ready for harvest, Peace Winds plans to hold additional events with cooking classes that use the vegetables the communities have grown themselves.