Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga feeds Northland community with veggie garden

Whangārei Free Wesleyan Church Minister, Rev Fono 'Ahio with the Church Youth. Photo / Supplied

The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga is feeding its community and enriching youths with a new vegetable garden in Raumanga, Whangārei.

Leader of the women's ministry at the church, Siulolo Ahio, says the garden has helped connect the churchgoers with traditional Tongan agriculture.

"We felt that it's an opportunity to share the whole idea of sustainability, teaching young children to actually live from the land which is a natural, cultural thing for us."

Ahio is an involved leader in the community, supporter of the youth ministry and a Sunday school teacher, but she explains that it's the children who call the shots for the garden.

"When we were provided the funding to initiate the gardening project, the church felt that it was really good for the youth to take ownership of that vision and run with it."

Funding came from the Kai Ora Fund, which is a small community grants process to support projects that address food security.

It took six months to clear out the section. The soil had to be tilled and stones were removed in preparation for the planting.

Mahitahi Hauora Wellbeing Health Promotion Officer, Daniela Johnson, visiting the Church Kai Ora Project Connection Garden. Photo / Supplied

"The idea was, what else can be done by the church to actually provide kai on a long term basis."

The garden now provides a large variety including silverbeet, bok choy, watermelon, cucumber, chilli, carrots and zucchini.

The church has been knocking on doors, providing veggie boxes to the locals and the Raumanga Medical Centre's communal donation area.

"The kids love it. They were in real joy, they were like, 'wow we planted this and now we can give it away'."

The gardens at The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga. Photo / Supplied

After the recent second harvest, the focus is now on replanting, and searching for funding for the repairs of the church building which was devastated by a fire last year, the damage of which remains as a reminder on the section.

"Because our church was destroyed by fire, we wanted to do something for our community to know that we do exist," said Ahio.

The church is still waiting on confirmation of funding for the rebuilding of the church, but in the meantime they focus on what they can do, renewing a generations connection to their environment and feeding a community.

"Even though the church is not built, you know the church can support in other ways."