Reach Within received initial funding from Irish Aid through its In-Country Micro Projects Scheme for one hydroponic technology system to train youth in food production at its drop-in centre in St George’s.
The equipment comes from Fork Farms, a hydroponic technology company with several climate-smart education initiatives in the Caribbean region.
The funding has provided the opportunity for 30 young people to participate in a pilot comprehensive job and life skills training programme centred on hydroponic farming. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, using a nutrient-rich water solution delivered directly to plant roots. It is a clean, efficient, and highly controllable approach to cultivation. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor environments, it offers a modern and innovative pathway that may spark renewed interest in agriculture as an attractive and viable career option for young people.
Established in 2003, Reach Within is a Grenadian charity and also a project of the Caribbean Centre for Health Equity at the Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation (WINDREF). Its mission is to maximise the potential for success among at-risk youth through science-backed practices that promote resilience following trauma or neglect. The organisation supports young people across Grenada and its sister isles, including those in the Child Protection system living in residential care homes or foster care, as well as at-risk youth in the wider community through its drop-in centre in St George’s.
This pilot is the first step in a comprehensive new agricultural youth training initiative that plans to engage other partners within the broader community. A key component of the pilot project is fostering youth leadership and amplifying young people’s voices. Participants will share their knowledge by guiding guest visits to the hydroponic farm at the drop-in centre.
Reach Within’s Programme Officer Melvaughn Coutain expressed enthusiasm about the initiative’s potential impact. “Teaching young people about science and encouraging them to think about food security and climate resilience while having fun with a new and innovative method of farming is truly exciting,” Coutain said. “We hope that in the future we can expand into aquaponics as well, combining fish farming with vegetable production in a self-contained system.”
Reach Within sees this as just the beginning of a broader national approach to youth training and looks forward to sharing more in the upcoming weeks. Please stay tuned! Through innovation, education, and youth leadership, the project aims to cultivate not only crops but also confidence, resilience, and opportunities for the next generation.
Reach Within
