The small gardens in front of the huts of 30 families in the Valle Hermoso district glow green. This is indeed an unusual sight in Potosí: the city lies at an altitude of 4,000 meters in the high mountain steppe of the Altiplano.

Children and teenagers are cultivating small gardens right outside their own front doors. This brings fresh, organic vegetables to the table – a diverse and healthy diet that families in this impoverished mining town otherwise couldn't afford. Terre des Hommes partner organization, PASOCAP, has named its project "Planting Life." Fifteen-year-old Eliana is participating: "We planted our garden last year and were able to harvest starting in January. It's fantastic! You can just walk out the door and get some fresh lettuce or radishes!" In the so-called cold tropics, the temperature difference between day and night is significant: during the day it's warm, while at night temperatures can drop below zero. Profitable agriculture isn't possible here, but the home gardens are thriving.

The gardens glow green in the inhospitable high mountain steppe

And Eliana now knows why: "The house wall retains the heat, so the plants don't freeze at night." Eliana has learned a lot in the PASOCAP gardening group – how to prepare and water beds, make compost, and harvest seeds for the next sowing. They've just built their own planters, which will be hung on the house wall.

This way, the small garden can be used even more effectively. The children recycled old plastic pipes for this purpose, as the families don't have the money for planters or tools. Vertical gardening with these recycled planters creates more growing space. Eliana's parents were skeptical at first, but now they are enthusiastic. "We harvest something almost every day. The fact that our family is getting healthier food makes me happy. And it earns me respect," Eliana says happily. When a lot is ready to harvest at once, she sells to the neighbors. With the money, she can buy school notebooks and books. And finally, the garden provides a source of good conversation within the family. It's one of the positive topics, beyond worries and hardships.