In October, Kyrgyzstan hosted a large-scale educational environmental initiative, the Green Discovery Marathon. The project was organized by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Russian Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI), with support from the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The initiative brought together schools, families, and teachers around an important goal: helping children develop healthy habits, environmental awareness, and practical skills in growing plants.
Hundreds of children, teachers, and parents took part in the Marathon, which transformed routine school lessons into an engaging exploration of nature and healthy nutrition.
Planting, caring, observing
In schools across four provinces of Kyrgyzstan, fourth graders assumed a simple but meaningful task: creating “windowsill gardens.” Children planted seeds and seedlings, learned how to loosen soil, water plants correctly, and create favorable conditions for their growth. The children maintained their own small “greenhouse” and got a chance to observe the full life cycle of a plant, from a tiny seed to fresh greens.
At Ch. Aitmatov School No. 69 in the Kara-Suu district of Osh province, children planted cress, parsley, and beans, rooted roses from the schoolyard, and transplanted them into pots. Within just a few weeks, the plants were growing actively. The children took turns caring for them, compared the results of their efforts, and recorded observations in their Gardener’s Diaries.
Responsibility lesson: every sprout is a small life
The Green Discovery Marathon became a genuine responsibility lesson. Through practice, children realized how much depends on their own actions: timely watering, careful loosening of the soil, or, conversely, leaving a pot without light immediately affected the plant’s condition.
Even those who had never shown interest in plants before proudly shared their achievements. One grandmother noted:
“My grandson was never interested in flowers. Now he takes the watering can himself and cares for the onions he planted. He watches how they grow and asks his mother to add the herbs he has grown to meals. We are very grateful to the teacher for such practical knowledge.”
Parents also observed that children had become more attentive and careful and were more willing to help adults with household tasks.
The first harvest
One of the most important outcomes of the Marathon was understanding the direct link between what a child grows and healthy eating.
Children themselves suggested sending the herbs they had grown to the school canteen. The tender leaves of cress and green onions were tasted by the first “testers” — teachers and other students. The children felt genuine pride: their efforts had real value and helped diversify everyday school meals.
Children from M. Nurgaziev School No. 29 in the Toktogul district of Jalal-Abad province also demonstrated impressive results. They observed the growth of herbs from the first shoots to a full harvest, created the conditions needed for growth, and used the greens they had cultivated in meals. The children unanimously agreed that food grown with their own hands tastes special.
From school to home: children inspire the whole family
The project did not end behind the school walls. It became a starting point for home experiments as well.
Children from School No. 69 in Osh proudly share their achievements. Nazira Kumushbekova planted dill at home, and it is already growing. Ermek Sultanbekova has grown the first tomato seedlings and continues to take care of them.
Parents note that this “green enthusiasm” has captured the entire family. Children ask for a place on the windowsill, help their grandparents, and happily photograph their “home gardens.”
Why projects like this truly matter
The experience of the Green Discovery Marathon clearly demonstrated how a school initiative can go beyond the classroom, reach families, and influence everyday habits. By watching plants grow and caring for them day after day, children become more attentive and responsible, learn to notice details, and understand the consequences of their actions. Gradually, they develop environmental awareness and a respectful attitude toward nature.
Schoolchildren gain a kind of practical experience that is uncommon in today’s world. They do not just learn theory, but actually live through the journey of a plant from seed to harvest. Along with this comes an important understanding of how food reaches the table, the amount of work involved, and why fresh, organic products hold special value.
It is steps like these that shape mindful attitudes toward food and lay the foundation for a healthy lifestyle, not as a list of rules, but as a natural part of children’s experiences and their future choices.
The initiative brought together schools, families, and teachers around an important goal: helping children develop healthy habits, environmental awareness, and practical skills in growing plants.
Hundreds of children, teachers, and parents took part in the Marathon, which transformed routine school lessons into an engaging exploration of nature and healthy nutrition.
Planting, caring, observing
In schools across four provinces of Kyrgyzstan, fourth graders assumed a simple but meaningful task: creating “windowsill gardens.” Children planted seeds and seedlings, learned how to loosen soil, water plants correctly, and create favorable conditions for their growth. The children maintained their own small “greenhouse” and got a chance to observe the full life cycle of a plant, from a tiny seed to fresh greens.
At Ch. Aitmatov School No. 69 in the Kara-Suu district of Osh province, children planted cress, parsley, and beans, rooted roses from the schoolyard, and transplanted them into pots. Within just a few weeks, the plants were growing actively. The children took turns caring for them, compared the results of their efforts, and recorded observations in their Gardener’s Diaries.
Responsibility lesson: every sprout is a small life
The Green Discovery Marathon became a genuine responsibility lesson. Through practice, children realized how much depends on their own actions: timely watering, careful loosening of the soil, or, conversely, leaving a pot without light immediately affected the plant’s condition.
Even those who had never shown interest in plants before proudly shared their achievements. One grandmother noted:
“My grandson was never interested in flowers. Now he takes the watering can himself and cares for the onions he planted. He watches how they grow and asks his mother to add the herbs he has grown to meals. We are very grateful to the teacher for such practical knowledge.”
Parents also observed that children had become more attentive and careful and were more willing to help adults with household tasks.
The first harvest
One of the most important outcomes of the Marathon was understanding the direct link between what a child grows and healthy eating.
Children themselves suggested sending the herbs they had grown to the school canteen. The tender leaves of cress and green onions were tasted by the first “testers” — teachers and other students. The children felt genuine pride: their efforts had real value and helped diversify everyday school meals.
Children from M. Nurgaziev School No. 29 in the Toktogul district of Jalal-Abad province also demonstrated impressive results. They observed the growth of herbs from the first shoots to a full harvest, created the conditions needed for growth, and used the greens they had cultivated in meals. The children unanimously agreed that food grown with their own hands tastes special.
From school to home: children inspire the whole family
The project did not end behind the school walls. It became a starting point for home experiments as well.
Children from School No. 69 in Osh proudly share their achievements. Nazira Kumushbekova planted dill at home, and it is already growing. Ermek Sultanbekova has grown the first tomato seedlings and continues to take care of them.
Parents note that this “green enthusiasm” has captured the entire family. Children ask for a place on the windowsill, help their grandparents, and happily photograph their “home gardens.”
Why projects like this truly matter
The experience of the Green Discovery Marathon clearly demonstrated how a school initiative can go beyond the classroom, reach families, and influence everyday habits. By watching plants grow and caring for them day after day, children become more attentive and responsible, learn to notice details, and understand the consequences of their actions. Gradually, they develop environmental awareness and a respectful attitude toward nature.
Schoolchildren gain a kind of practical experience that is uncommon in today’s world. They do not just learn theory, but actually live through the journey of a plant from seed to harvest. Along with this comes an important understanding of how food reaches the table, the amount of work involved, and why fresh, organic products hold special value.
It is steps like these that shape mindful attitudes toward food and lay the foundation for a healthy lifestyle, not as a list of rules, but as a natural part of children’s experiences and their future choices.