If You Build It They Will Grow

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has for several years partnered with Lelu Farmers Association to construct family greenhouses on the island of Kosrae. Recently the Humanitarian Department of the Church received a request from the administration of the Kosrae High School to build a larger one at the school.

The vocational department at the school has started a course to teach farming techniques to the students. Also, part of the curriculum will be to teach how to market the produce that they grow.

Some may ask, why do you need a greenhouse on a tropical island? There is always enough sunshine and rain, and the growing season never ends.

The problem they have on Kosrae is the 300+ inches of yearly rainfall, and sometimes the rain comes so fast that it beats the plants to death. The greenhouse protects the plants from too much rain. The new greenhouse is equipped with irrigation sprinklers to deliver the right amount of water.

 Principal Scott Nena said, “Vocational training is required in our curriculum for graduation. It is our hope for all our students to complete high school and to go on to get a degree and come back to the island to help.”

Robert Sigrah president of the Lelu Farmers Association stated, “We provide all of these things for free even seedlings, to help them get their hands on it and learn how to grow.”

He also said, “We have been doing this for over 5 years, it is in our blood now!”