The joy of harvesting and character-building from growing vegetables
Hafnarfjörður families and refugee families met in the school grounds at Öldutún yesterday afternoon in glorious sunshine. This was the opening event for a harvest project by the City of Hafnarfjörður and the charity GETA, designed to foster connections.
Connections cultivated through gardening at Öldutún!
Yes, community building and stronger connections were the main theme of the gathering of Hafnarfjörður families and refugee families, who met in the school grounds at Öldutún yesterday afternoon. This was the opening event for a harvest project run by the City of Hafnarfjörður and the charity GETA. 24 families were registered to take part, and a large number of people attended to strengthen bonds and have an experience.
The aim is to bring these families, who all live in Hafnarfjörður, together and give them the opportunity to share experiences and knowledge and help each other to grow their own vegetables this summer. Carmen Fuchs, a refugee affairs specialist for the Municipality of Hafnarfjörður, is leading the project. She says that gardening is practised all over the world and is therefore ideal for strengthening bonds.
„It's not just the immigrants who are adapting, but also the community that welcomes them. These Hafnarfjörður families are open to learning from one another, while at the same time showing them what their home town has to offer,“ said Carmen in an interview on the Morning Programme on Radio 2.
Interpreters and a horticulturist shook the group together.
The families registered to take part are from five countries. Three interpreters, Arabic, Ukrainian and Spanish, were on hand to facilitate communication during these first encounters, and a horticulturist offered sound advice. Joy was in the air as the children ran happily around the garden, which had been tilled by volunteers for the afternoon's planting. Now, Google Translate takes over as the families cultivate their garden together this summer. Carmen says that after the summer, the goal is a bountiful harvest, better connections, a better community, and good vegetables.
It is important to nurture relationships
The refugee families taking part are both with and without a National Registration Number. They are at different stages of the application process but have already taken their first steps into the community. It is therefore important to foster connections. The Municipality of Hafnarfjörður is carrying out the project with GETA Aid Association which supports refugees and asylum seekers and promotes positive integration into society.