Skills Training Report for Homeless Shelter Coordinators (2021)

In collaboration with Sempulam Sustainable Solutions, Chennai Resilience Centre (CRC) distributed kitchen garden kits to homeless shelters and Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) centres within the jurisdiction of Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), as a part of the Chennai Urban Farming Initiative (CUFI). This initiative is being implemented in partnership with Tamil Nadu ICDS and Greater Chennai Corporation’s Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) Initiative to improve access to nutritious food and the general health and well-being of vulnerable communities. The kitchen garden kits, arranged through Sempulam Sustainable Solutions, are an all-inclusive package with grow bags, soil mixture, vermicompost, neem oil soap and vegetable and green vegetable seeds.

A skills training cum exposure visit was organised by CRC for shelter coordinators from the homeless shelters administered by GCC and Assistant Coordinators of the SUH initiative on Aug 30th, 2021 and Sept 5th, 2021. Participants were taken to an organic farm, owned and maintained by Sempulam Sustainable Solutions, at Sukkankollai, Kancheepuram district; which is around 70 km from Chennai, close to the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary. The objective of this training cum exposure visit was to build capacity of the shelter coordinators with respect to setting up and maintaining kitchen gardens. Additionally, the training aimed to educate the participants on he importance of organic farming and self-sustainability. Hands-on training was provided on the preparation of compost and organic fertilizers. Participants were also given a tour of the farm, which exposed them to different types of crops (mainly rice) grown and sustainable farming techniques followed.