We are now recruiting for the 2024 HABESHA Works Program. HABESHA Works is a green jobs training initiative that teaches basic skills in urban organic agriculture and agro-business development. HABESHA Works promotes sustainable agriculture as a tool for economic development within communities lacking adequate job resources and those experiencing barriers to healthy, fresh, high quality foods. The components of HABESHA Works focus on three primary objectives. They are:
- Providing new skills and professional development training and education in sustainable agriculture to adults.
- Developing a community-based approach to health disparities by training individuals to produce and distribute organically grown vegetables in the local urban environment.
- Establishing an economic development model that creates social entrepreneurship opportunities for participants to continue utilizing their training.
Based on these objectives, there are three cycles to this intervention effort. Below is a detailed description of activities to be completed at each cycle of the program:
- Minimum of 150 hours of interactive classroom work (online webinars), and field work (in-person lab & workdays) to occur over the time span of 16-weeks
- Instruction takes place three times a week
- 2-hour online webinar (Wednesdays);
- 4-hour in-person lab (Saturdays); and
- 4-hour workday (Sundays)
- Online webinars introduce trainees to the fundamental principles and practices of sustainable agriculture
- Lab sessions provide trainees with hands-on experiences that reinforce online webinar discussions
- Lab sessions and workdays are held in the HABESHA Gardens Complex, in addition to other identified urban farm sites in metro Atlanta
- Sessions will include site visits to area urban farms and/or guest instruction from various farm experts
- Mandatory volunteer time at other parter sites in metro Atlanta
- A final “Extreme Green” project to demonstrate knowledge of information shared during the training