In 2019, Mount Druitt Ethnic Communities Agency (MECA) in partnership with FoodFaith built an organic garden and started horticultural classes and workshops for refugees and migrants.
The classes at MECA focus on starting small businesses related to gardening and sustainability.
This has created a space for sharing knowledge and skills, and has allowed for individuals to adopt a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle. A video showing the current educational program and some of the people involved is here.
In August this year, Channel Ten’s The Living Room team helped expand and build the community garden to encourage the participation of more community members.
The MECA garden will continue to serve as an example kitchen garden, where community members can grow, cook, and experiment with food. This will provide community members with new skills while strengthening community ties. The MECA garden will continue to host workshops and information sessions linked to food and health as well as food and sustainability.