Carrots, oregano, mint, roses, composting areas, and messages about nature. All this can be found in 12-year-old Mateo A.’s house in the city of Lima, Peru. He is one of the kids that created a TiNi, a project of the Peruvian NGO Ania, which encourages children and teenagers to take care of green areas in their homes, schools, neighbourhoods, or communities.

Recognised by the United Nation’s Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 2012, the project provides guidance on management and sustainability, as well as encourages young people to customize the green areas to their taste. “A teacher at my school suggested we build a TiNi at home. I really liked the idea because my grandparents taught me to take care of plants and preserve nature,” says Mateo.

The youngster recounts that friends and neighbours helped develop the project and that today he has a routine to tend to and care for the plants. “During summer, I water them up to four times a week, and I add fertiliser to the soil,” he explains. “It doesn’t matter if the area you have is large or small. You can start planting inside bottles, for example.”

Eleven-year-old Tatiana F. helped build a TiNi at her school in Lima. She says that all the work was carried out by the students, and each student had a role. “There were teams to water the plants, remove the soil, prepare the fertiliser, and pick out the weeds, among other roles,” she explains. Today, the area, which continues to be cared for by students, has flowers, fruit trees, various vegetables, rocks painted with frog or spider faces, and even a pathway.

Currently, there are TiNi initiatives in more than ten countries including Canada, Chile, and Japan.

Want to find out how to make a TiNi? Check out  http://bit.ly/tiniguia

QUESTIONS

1) According to the text, how was the TiNi in Tatiana F.’s school built?
a) She did everything herself.
b) Volunteers of the NGO Ania helped her.
c) The work was done by the students with teams being responsible for different roles.
d) Everyone in Lima took part in the project.

2) Would you like to care for a green area in your home or in your town? Explain your answer.

Ixi! Você bateu no paywall!

Ainda não é assinante? Assine agora e tenha acesso ilimitado ao conteúdo do Joca.

Assinante? Faça Login

Voltar para a home

Ou faça sua assinatura e tenha acesso a todo o conteúdo do Joca

Assine