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 and 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.
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