STORY

Dr. Moses Rumano moved to Wichita in the Summer of 2021 ready to start a new chapter at Friends University. But it wasn’t until he discovered a weed-infested community garden of growing potential that he realized this community was where he could plant his roots. The Education Division Chair at Friends University developed a passion for gardening at a young age in his home country of Zimbabwe.

In Mutare, the third-most populous city in Zimbabwe, backyard gardens are now staples in most residential areas. These vegetable gardens have provided a sense of health and security during strict pandemic lockdowns and allowed for communities to unite through informal trade exchanges. Its stories like these that fuel Dr. Rumano’s dreams for the Friends University Garden.

 After a summer spent revitalizing the overgrown garden, the plot has taken on new life and opened up new opportunities for collaboration. Dr. Rumano has welcomed neighbors and local schools to help tend to the garden, using it as a hands-on learning experience for people of all ages. By teaching people the value in growing their own food, Dr. Rumano hopes that this garden “brings people together from all walks of life” and hopes to create a flourishing garden that can nourish their bodies for generations to come.