UNICEF East Asia and Pacific’s Post

In the mountains of Aileu, Timor-Leste, a school garden is doing more than growing vegetables—it’s growing life skills, confidence, and community resilience. 🌱 Students at EBF Madabeno, with support from UNICEF and partners, are learning and practicing permaculture gardening, an environmentally friendly and sustainable way of growing vegetables that children can easily adapt to. The harvest feeds the school lunch program (merenda eskolar), reducing costs while providing fresh, organic, healthy meals. Thanks to these efforts, children are planting confidence, responsibility, and future-ready skills. And their parents? Inspired by their little climate superheroes, they’re adopting new gardening techniques, improving household nutrition, and strengthening their connection to the environment. Warning: Reading this may cause sudden urges to start your own school or home garden. Check the link in the comments… at your own discretion. 💚 Julio Talimeta UNICEF Timor-Leste Tapuwa Loreen Mutseyekwa