The Goal of this project is to teach students and all people about the importance of healthy eating, having a balanced diet, and growing their own healthy and organic food. Growing up, I have seen firsthand the effect of so much of deforestation and clearing out farms to build houses. Where I once saw a campsite, where hundreds of people would go for a relaxing getaway to be surrounded by nature, I now see 50 houses, all identical looking the same. There used to be so much of  greenery and nature everywhere. Now all of it has turned into commercial land, increasing pollution and decreasing farm land. 

It is important to eat healthy in order to live a healthy life. This means not only eating a variety of foods, but also seeing the quality of what we eat. Nowadays with a rise in organic foods, people tend to blindly purchase these, thinking that the word organic means good for them. This is not always the case, as organic produce can still contain chemical fertilizers which are very bad for us to consume. When you go to a market and purchase a vegetable or fruit, you don't know what it contains, what it might have been grown with, meaning it could harm you.

This project, Kudumba Unavu Thittam (KUT), works to fight that. We work to educate students about healthy eating, what it truly means to have a balanced diet, and how to grow their own gardens, using a technique called micro-gardening. Micro-gardening is growing a variety of different produce in a small area. Along with learning how to set up and care for a garden, students are also able to experience Hands on Learning by combining what they learn in Biology Class about plants and the plant cycle (ie. what a plant needs to survive, different parts of the plant, etc.) to what they learn out in the garden. By knowing how to care for a garden, and needing only a small area of space, students will be able to provide for themselevs and their families. KUT hopes to install gardens in numerous schools in the future, so that many students can learn this valuable skill for a lifetime of success.

I would like to thank everyone who supported, guided, and assisted me on this project. Kudumba Unavu Thittam was once just an idea on paper, and could not have become a reality without your valuable input. I would like to extend a special thanks to:

• My Mom, Dad, and Sister, who believed in me every step of the way and gave me constant feedback on how to make KUT a more beneficial program

• Ms. Cathleen and Ms. Alice, my troop leaders who helped me create a plan and navigate the Gold Award Process

• Ms. Winnie Kubik, my Council Advisor who helped me finalize the details of my project and made sure I was all set to start once I reached India

• Mrs. J. Bernadette Sheela, Science teacher at Government High School, Karalapakkam, who was my project advisor and mentor who helped in all aspects preparing and executing the project successfully.

• All the teachers and staff at Government High School, Karalapakkam, who extended immesurable and valuable support, motivation, and encouragement during my time at the school, and helped with preparation work before I started the project

• Mr. Kesavan, who provided support in establishing the garden, such as setting up a water connection from around the building, putting in the raised bed and fencing for the garden

• School Alumni who took time to come help in establishing the garden, assisting Mr. Kesavan in preparing the garden space and providing a few saplings for the garden

• My Uncle, for allowing us to use his car for daily transport to and from the school

• Mr. Austin Reaker, science teacher at Moreau Catholic High School, for providing valuable input while creating the lesson plans used for hands on learning at the school

• All the donors who supported my baked good and plant sale, for encouraging and motivating me in this project with their kind words and donations

And finally, thanks to everyone who was involved in the success of this garden being established, from start to finish. This project would not have been possible without you!