Location: NIGERIA
Guided by a belief that children thrive when given a chance to cultivate their own future, Zainab Oladimeji Adebeso launched the EduKultivate initiative with intention and clarity. Her background in agriculture and sustainable development, along with her work as a Teach For Nigeria fellow, revealed how hunger and limited exposure to farming shaped students’ daily lives. She set out to change that by teaching organic farming, sustainable agriculture, and climate-smart methods in a way young learners could grasp and apply.
“My goal is to help children realize that knowledge and nourishment can grow side by side,” she says.
Through carefully guided garden sessions, she opened new pathways for practical learning, creativity, and community resilience, an approach that began producing visible transformation.
The Impact of the Seed Grant
The Pollination Project grant marked a defining turning point for this vision. With TPP’s support, EduKultivate expanded into three new schools, providing essential gardening tools, irrigation systems, compost bins, and seeds that allowed each school to build and maintain thriving gardens. According to the project report, 437 students were directly reached and 3,432 volunteer hours were contributed, a scale of engagement made possible through philanthropic investment in grassroots leadership.
Student participation rose steadily, and surveys documented significant growth in their understanding of sustainable agriculture and climate-smart farming techniques.
Zainab describes the transformation vividly: “One student told me, ‘This is the first time I planted something and ate what I grew.’ Moments like that reveal what access can unlock.”
The grant also empowered students to generate small income through surplus produce, reinforcing lessons in entrepreneurship and self-reliance. By funding irrigation systems in particular, TPP ensured year-round cultivation, turning each garden into a reliable source of nutritious food and a living classroom for sustainable agriculture.
The Future
Today, EduKultivate is preparing for its next chapter. Two additional schools are currently onboarding, with long-term plans to extend the project across more communities and eventually to other states. Zainab also aims to introduce tree crops, expanding the gardens’ nutritional value and deepening climate-education opportunities.
“We’re building something that grows beyond this season,” she reflects.
The foundation laid through The Pollination Project’s support now anchors a future where more children can learn, cultivate, and thrive, strengthening food security, environmental awareness, and community resilience for years to come.
We are deeply grateful to The Pollination Project for making this expansion of EduKultivate possible. Through your support, we established gardens in three additional schools, reaching over 300 children with hands-on climate education and sustainable agriculture skills.
Zainab Oladimeji Adebeso
Zainab Oladimeji Adebeso is a postgraduate fellow of Agriculture and Sustainable Environment and a Teach For Nigeria fellow whose work centers on education equity, sustainability, and community development. She is known for identifying practical solutions to challenges faced by underserved schools and for leading initiatives that strengthen food security and environmental awareness among young learners. Through projects such as EduKultivate and CarePoint, she has introduced children to organic farming, climate-smart practices, and hands-on learning experiences that build confidence and resilience. Zainab believes deeply in empowering others to participate in meaningful change and continues to mentor, collaborate, and mobilize communities to create healthier, more sustainable futures.
Join The Pollination Project in seeding a global movement of grassroots change. When we invest in passionate local leaders, small acts of generosity blossom into lasting impact. Every dollar you give takes root in communities, growing into sustainable solutions that touch countless lives.
