International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Today marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day dedicated to celebrating women's achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, and promoting gender equality in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education worldwide.
At Sreepur Village, we are proud to be part of this movement through our Sack Garden Project, which provides hands-on STEM education to 80 vulnerable single mothers. The project demonstrates how practical science education can transform lives and create lasting change in rural communities. We are also lucky to have the support, knowledge and experience of our Patron Sue Dale Tunnicliffe for our STEM related programmes.
Learning Science Through Growing Food
In the Sack Garden project the mothers make their own sack garden and learn basics of everyday STEM particularly biology and mathematics as well as a means of providing some fresh food for their children through the practical application of growing vegetables. Over the course of one year, mothers learn about seed germination and plant growth, soil composition and regional variations, water retention, plant nutrition, pests and how to control them and sustainable agriculture methods, reusing flour sacks for example for the soil container. They work out soil ratios , plan watering schedules, monitor growth and understand harvest cycles whilst creating productive sack gardens that provide fresh vegetables for their families. Chillies and tomatoes are the vegetables they want to grow the most
This approach makes STEM accessible to women with varying educational backgrounds, from Class 6 to Class 9 level. Some have received very little formal schooling. By connecting scientific principles to everyday food production, the programme demonstrates the relevance of STEM knowledge in solving real-world challenges.
Making Science Work in Rural Bangladesh
In rural Bangladesh, families face limited farmland, annual flooding and expensive vegetables that restrict nutritional variety. Sack gardens offer a scientific solution to these challenges. They can be moved as needed, harvested multiple times yearly and maintained even during floods and droughts.
The women learn to adapt growing techniques to changing conditions and troubleshoot plant health issues, developing problem-solving skills that extend far beyond gardening. These are the same scientific thinking skills that drive innovation in any field.
Creating a Ripple Effect
When mothers leave Sreepur Village, they receive starter kits with tools and supplies to continue sack gardening at home. But they take something even more valuable with them: the confidence to apply scientific thinking to real-world challenges and the ability to teach others.
Some participants have already expressed interest in developing small businesses based on their new sack gardening skills, creating opportunities to support other women in their communities. This multiplier effect means that every woman we teach becomes a teacher herself, spreading STEM knowledge throughout rural Bangladesh.
This year's International Day of Women and Girls in Science theme is "From Vision to Impact: Redefining STEM by Closing the Gender Gap". At Sreepur Village, we are moving from vision to impact every day, empowering women with the scientific knowledge and skills they need to build sustainable, independent lives.
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