Smiles and good cheer abound as the ninety-one graduates of the “Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan” Urban Farmers’ Training Program closed their twelve weeks of training with a Harvest Festival and a Graduation Ceremony on October 3 and 4, 2018 in Makati City.

The Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan or KSK program aims to provide urban-dwellers with means to provide healthy and sustainable food sources for their communities. The program achieves this through an intensive training course that lasts for three months. In this period, KSK participants are taught smart farming methods that aim to maximize the spaces they have in their backyards to create their own urban gardens.

The participants eagerly welcomed guests during their Harvest Festival which was held on October 3 in their garden site located in Barangay Tejeros, Makati City. The festival started with a tour of the gardens of each team followed by a fun-filled program with games and presentations by the KSK participants.

The graduation ceremony was held the next day at the Music Hall, SM Mall of Asia. During the ceremony, Ms. Cristina Balobo, one of the KSK graduates shared her experiences during their three months of training. She shared that all the effort and hard work they have put into nourishing their gardens has led to the fruition of not only their garden, but also their dreams.

The KSK program is conducted through the joint undertaking of SM Foundation, MacPlas Academy, the Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR), the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Local Government of Makati. ###