Reconnecting with nature
Purteka. Gradening for Children
Purteka. Gradening for Children
Purteka. Gardening for Children, is a nature-learning space that engage children in practice how to plant starting from seeds and a collaborative place-base approach to community engagement. It creates gardening kits for children, and provides handmade gardening tools, produced by local old artisans and craftsmen. By using a small gardening-truck, Purteka organizes activities and workshops with other actors of local economies.
Albania
Local
Vlore
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Yes
2023-07-15
No
Yes
Balkan Green Ideas 2023
No
As an individual
Purteka. Gardening for Children creates gardening kits for children to help them learn in practice how to plant starting from seeds, even in a small space, such as their flats and houses. The products are gardening kits, including different seed bags (depending on season), fluffy soil, a manual on how to plant the seeds, organic stick feeder, seed labels, hand shovels, forks, trowels, etc.
I sell also handmade gardening tools, produced by old artisans and craftsmen, such as: metallic watering cans and wooden carved shovel and forks, hotel-bees, and wild bird feeders, all necessary for the gardening activities.
Purteka has published“Gardening for children” book: with 38 projects how to start seeds indoor/outdoor. This book is the only publication in Albania to the relevant field of knowledge.
The business is developed through a small truck (Piaggio Porter), transformed into a gardening-truck that is used for selling seeds, plants, books, gardening kits and hand-made gardening tools for kids. It is has a dedicated space for practicing gardening activities with kids throughout the town of Vlora, including kindergartens.
Once per month, Purteka organizes activities and workshops with other actors of local economies, such as: crafting with artisans, reading in nature activities with writers, kids hiking with professional guides, etc.
Purteka is being an integral part of individual and collective commitments toward the local economy. So far, the business has received positive feedback, by creating further business opportunities, and by improving product expansion and growing customer base accordingly. It pioneered distinguishingly with its unique products and services in Albania, with the expectation that it will grow, gain momentum and thrive.
I sell also handmade gardening tools, produced by old artisans and craftsmen, such as: metallic watering cans and wooden carved shovel and forks, hotel-bees, and wild bird feeders, all necessary for the gardening activities.
Purteka has published“Gardening for children” book: with 38 projects how to start seeds indoor/outdoor. This book is the only publication in Albania to the relevant field of knowledge.
The business is developed through a small truck (Piaggio Porter), transformed into a gardening-truck that is used for selling seeds, plants, books, gardening kits and hand-made gardening tools for kids. It is has a dedicated space for practicing gardening activities with kids throughout the town of Vlora, including kindergartens.
Once per month, Purteka organizes activities and workshops with other actors of local economies, such as: crafting with artisans, reading in nature activities with writers, kids hiking with professional guides, etc.
Purteka is being an integral part of individual and collective commitments toward the local economy. So far, the business has received positive feedback, by creating further business opportunities, and by improving product expansion and growing customer base accordingly. It pioneered distinguishingly with its unique products and services in Albania, with the expectation that it will grow, gain momentum and thrive.
Small is beautiful
Kids in the garden
Trusting connectedness
Move from knowledge to wisdom
Sustainability starts at early years
Purteka. Gardening for Children” was established with the idea of developing a business based on community commitment principle that aims engaging children not only in gardening activities also in collective commitments. The main objectives of the business are:
o Create a model of green business dedicated to community engagement.
o Empowering the business and never losing the eco-minded power.
o Contribute positively to local economy and education for a sustainable greener future.
o Integrate efficiency environment and social factors into business goals.
o Integrate business with education for the new generation.
o Create a community space for exchanging knowledge.
o Restore the lost value of human capital.
What drives this endowment is the commitment motivation that small is valuable and beautiful at the same time.
o Create a model of green business dedicated to community engagement.
o Empowering the business and never losing the eco-minded power.
o Contribute positively to local economy and education for a sustainable greener future.
o Integrate efficiency environment and social factors into business goals.
o Integrate business with education for the new generation.
o Create a community space for exchanging knowledge.
o Restore the lost value of human capital.
What drives this endowment is the commitment motivation that small is valuable and beautiful at the same time.
Smartly-designed Purteka gardening-truck is stationed in the old town of Vlora. It gives the town center a brilliant practical example of how the town has been putting children’s interests first by bringing a chance to children to be a gardener ‘on the pavement”. The gardening-truck is surrounded by the plants, books and the community, giving an example how nature, knowledge and connectedness has no language and connect people in such beautiful way.
If we want the future generation takes care of each-other and nature itself is better making them learn it in their early years. Learning, playing, having fun, changing experience and taking responsibility is how it works. Purteka’s special conversation is about children, nature, knowledge, cultural heritage and togetherness by organizing a lot of workshops and with different themes and local actors of local economy by reinforcing the values and the experience of community engagement and nature approach.
At Purteka gardening-truck space we sow seeds, we read books, meet artisans and activists, we craft and recycle, we do celebrate nature and the beauty of doing things together: from the old town center to neighborhoods and kindergartens.
If we want the future generation takes care of each-other and nature itself is better making them learn it in their early years. Learning, playing, having fun, changing experience and taking responsibility is how it works. Purteka’s special conversation is about children, nature, knowledge, cultural heritage and togetherness by organizing a lot of workshops and with different themes and local actors of local economy by reinforcing the values and the experience of community engagement and nature approach.
At Purteka gardening-truck space we sow seeds, we read books, meet artisans and activists, we craft and recycle, we do celebrate nature and the beauty of doing things together: from the old town center to neighborhoods and kindergartens.
Young people who participate in gardening programs enjoy a lot of gains across a diverse range of critical growth areas, including personal well-being, food security, nutritional awareness and attitudes, environmental stewardship, and community connectedness and commitments.
Purteka allow kids to be kids. Creating a creative and knowledge space where social inequality is a grown up thing. All the gardening activities and those workshops performed in collaboration are for free and under the ethical principle of inclusiveness. Purteka treats children as the future keepers and showing the best of practice and experience through all the initiatives.
Purteka’s gardening-truck is stationed in a public space. It may be drive wherever is needed. Therefore, my initiative is a gentle rebellion to the vision of slowing down, bringing children closer to nature and rediscovering the lost sense of doing beautiful things together and in the community. Small is beautiful!
Purteka allow kids to be kids. Creating a creative and knowledge space where social inequality is a grown up thing. All the gardening activities and those workshops performed in collaboration are for free and under the ethical principle of inclusiveness. Purteka treats children as the future keepers and showing the best of practice and experience through all the initiatives.
Purteka’s gardening-truck is stationed in a public space. It may be drive wherever is needed. Therefore, my initiative is a gentle rebellion to the vision of slowing down, bringing children closer to nature and rediscovering the lost sense of doing beautiful things together and in the community. Small is beautiful!
Purteka with its own activities and the community space created within the gardening-truck is accessible for all the children and their family in the town. It provides different gardening products and in the same time providing gardening workshop by involving various educational institutions, organization and charities.
People involved:
o Uncle Thanasi, a former agronomist, who owns a greenhouse and provides me flower plants and trees in pots;
o Landi, the tinsmith, who produces handmade water cans and compost bins;
o Uncle Shyqo, woodcarver, who carves spoons and pipes and provides me with hand shovels and hand gardening forks;
o Skenderi, the sheet metal-worker, who deals with painting and paints the metal objects ordered from the tinsmith artisan;
o Hasan, the neighborhood carpenter, from whom I need to take some special gardening accessories, such as: wooden bee hotels and bird feeders;
o Uncle Izet, who provides organic fertilizer and seeds;
o Jana and Vasili, the ceramic artisans, who supplies me with potteries;
o Some neighborhood housewives, who have gardens in their basement houses and from whom I get seeds, harvested according to the natural cycle, flower plants and dried flower;
o Municipality of Vlora;
o More than 25 institutional partners on ongoing collaboration;
o More than 30 collaborators providing their expertise and mentoring in various activities;
o Different commercial partners in collaborative;
o Publishing company and collaborators;
o The public.
The benefits:
o -Engaging professionals with jobs no longer around;
o -Community sharing values and trust by doing things together;
o -Involving community and partners in new idea of educating children;
o -Creating a new vision how to bring nature in the town full of concrete;
o -Creating a conversation space about a greener future;
o -Imparting vitality to neighborhoods and the old town center.
People involved:
o Uncle Thanasi, a former agronomist, who owns a greenhouse and provides me flower plants and trees in pots;
o Landi, the tinsmith, who produces handmade water cans and compost bins;
o Uncle Shyqo, woodcarver, who carves spoons and pipes and provides me with hand shovels and hand gardening forks;
o Skenderi, the sheet metal-worker, who deals with painting and paints the metal objects ordered from the tinsmith artisan;
o Hasan, the neighborhood carpenter, from whom I need to take some special gardening accessories, such as: wooden bee hotels and bird feeders;
o Uncle Izet, who provides organic fertilizer and seeds;
o Jana and Vasili, the ceramic artisans, who supplies me with potteries;
o Some neighborhood housewives, who have gardens in their basement houses and from whom I get seeds, harvested according to the natural cycle, flower plants and dried flower;
o Municipality of Vlora;
o More than 25 institutional partners on ongoing collaboration;
o More than 30 collaborators providing their expertise and mentoring in various activities;
o Different commercial partners in collaborative;
o Publishing company and collaborators;
o The public.
The benefits:
o -Engaging professionals with jobs no longer around;
o -Community sharing values and trust by doing things together;
o -Involving community and partners in new idea of educating children;
o -Creating a new vision how to bring nature in the town full of concrete;
o -Creating a conversation space about a greener future;
o -Imparting vitality to neighborhoods and the old town center.
Without the energy, knowledge, expertize, vision and the goodwill of various stakeholder nothing would be possible. The full potential of the Purteka’s initiative would have lost its momentum. The idea of the gardening-truck was supported by the national green ideas competition.
Further publishing books relating to children connection to nature and one periodical newspaper for children from 8-15 years old, would be fully covered by the Balkan Green Ideas Prize 2023.
On the other hand, Municipality of Vlora and various educational institutions are engaged with Purteka on implementing community gardens in the town and different kindergartens.
The reconstruction and the transformation of the gardening-truck involved more than twenty specialist from the town.
Further publishing books relating to children connection to nature and one periodical newspaper for children from 8-15 years old, would be fully covered by the Balkan Green Ideas Prize 2023.
On the other hand, Municipality of Vlora and various educational institutions are engaged with Purteka on implementing community gardens in the town and different kindergartens.
The reconstruction and the transformation of the gardening-truck involved more than twenty specialist from the town.
All started from Richard Louv and his book “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder” changed the way I grew up my own children. Becoming aware that we are living in the era when children believe more to a ‘button’ from technology rather than the magic power of their hands: that the culture of materialism and consumption does lead to happiness. That said, at the very first moment of its creation, Purteka had its own vision and clear objectives to share the knowledge and experience gained raising children strongly connected with the nature and outdoor activities.
Purteka has interaction with children, parents, educators, activists, agronomic experts, including communities and authorities. Every project has its own multi-disciplinary team established. For example, setting up a community gardens requires authority consultation, professional expertise and following up an open careful discussion with neighborhood or communities. Furthermore, publishing educational material requires a rigorous quality assurance to deliver accurate, reliable and consistent learning material. In my case the consultation and the expert editing and review was essential.
I have experienced that building up teams for every single project was my own challenge and blessing at the same time. We all had been able to overcome the obstacles by the envy to thrive together. The beauty of dedication and passion was the best ever adventure of work and pleasure.
Purteka has interaction with children, parents, educators, activists, agronomic experts, including communities and authorities. Every project has its own multi-disciplinary team established. For example, setting up a community gardens requires authority consultation, professional expertise and following up an open careful discussion with neighborhood or communities. Furthermore, publishing educational material requires a rigorous quality assurance to deliver accurate, reliable and consistent learning material. In my case the consultation and the expert editing and review was essential.
I have experienced that building up teams for every single project was my own challenge and blessing at the same time. We all had been able to overcome the obstacles by the envy to thrive together. The beauty of dedication and passion was the best ever adventure of work and pleasure.
Purteka is a model of green business dedicated to community engagement and it has already implemented an innovative idea of creating gardening kits for children while “Gardening for Children” book is the only publication in the field of gardening. As such, Purteka is taking responsibilities and plans to be registered as a trademark.
“Purteka. Gardening for Children”, has put the focus on growing sustainably. I try to educate myself to make a small change in every product and service, while engaging customers to take their own actions by being ethical shoppers. I always try to partner with other entities that share the same values.
I strongly believe that it is absolutely possible to create an economic system that maintains a balance between social and comprehensive well-being, market needs, biodiversity and nature as a whole.
I am trying my best integrating environment and social factors efficiently into the business objectives. This business affects and influences several sensitive areas: sustainable agriculture, education, sustainable cities and the local circular economy. The products are hand-made, bio-degradable and do not pollute the environment. The plant residues are re-used as fertilizers and children are educated and involved in the process, as an opportunity to change things around, by incorporating business with children education
“Purteka. Gardening for Children”, has put the focus on growing sustainably. I try to educate myself to make a small change in every product and service, while engaging customers to take their own actions by being ethical shoppers. I always try to partner with other entities that share the same values.
I strongly believe that it is absolutely possible to create an economic system that maintains a balance between social and comprehensive well-being, market needs, biodiversity and nature as a whole.
I am trying my best integrating environment and social factors efficiently into the business objectives. This business affects and influences several sensitive areas: sustainable agriculture, education, sustainable cities and the local circular economy. The products are hand-made, bio-degradable and do not pollute the environment. The plant residues are re-used as fertilizers and children are educated and involved in the process, as an opportunity to change things around, by incorporating business with children education
The famous quote of Schumacher “Small is beautiful” became the slogan that puzzling small and beautiful pieces into a great picture of who we are if thing are done in community principle. The past four years, my priority was in projects of educational programs how to blossom children attitude regarding nature preservation and sustainable living. So, continuously with educators and authorities, I have created and co-creating lessons, workshops and outdoor activities for children.
Puteka is functioning as a small business by creating selling handmade gardening tools and gardening kits for children. Apart that it is engaged in community commitments and engagement that require much more energy and strategy. In every case the methodology used has some steps as following:
o -Find the partners for collaboration in different activities at the gardening-truck space.
o -Consulting experts in the field and getting all the authority permission.
o -Evolving community and children.
o -Maintaining connection with partners for lost-lasting network.
Puteka is functioning as a small business by creating selling handmade gardening tools and gardening kits for children. Apart that it is engaged in community commitments and engagement that require much more energy and strategy. In every case the methodology used has some steps as following:
o -Find the partners for collaboration in different activities at the gardening-truck space.
o -Consulting experts in the field and getting all the authority permission.
o -Evolving community and children.
o -Maintaining connection with partners for lost-lasting network.
The New European Bauhaus Award can help achieving another step by creating a new educational space the 300m2 of my own garden. Said that, the installation of a wood building, the establishment of veggie beds and a sustainable irrigation system from the rain water, would establish the first “Gardening School for Children” in Albania. Such a green dream of mine!
The children will be amused by creating their own garden and in the same time learn, plain, having fun and responsibilities. The children would have the chance to visit every day the little farm of mine: goats, hens and sheep. At the, all the children will be awarded a certificate of “Little Gardener”.
The children will be amused by creating their own garden and in the same time learn, plain, having fun and responsibilities. The children would have the chance to visit every day the little farm of mine: goats, hens and sheep. At the, all the children will be awarded a certificate of “Little Gardener”.
o Quality education
Purtea aims to raise awareness regarding the lost connection of the young generation with nature and connection with nature to increase performance of sustainable behavior of our children: the future keepers.
o Social cohesion and community engagement
Purteka’s commitments refer to the strength of relationships and the sense of solidarity among members of a community by doing things from people to people.
o Biodiversity loss
By teaching and practicing with children the ability to take care of nature and biodiversity stewardship.
o Responsible consumption
Purteka integrates environment and social factors efficiently into business objectives. This business affects and influences several sensitive areas: sustainable agriculture, education, sustainable cities and the local circular economy.
o Food security
Purteka is dedicated to the encourage communities and neighborhoods to take action to grow its own food by building local solution to global challenges.
Purtea aims to raise awareness regarding the lost connection of the young generation with nature and connection with nature to increase performance of sustainable behavior of our children: the future keepers.
o Social cohesion and community engagement
Purteka’s commitments refer to the strength of relationships and the sense of solidarity among members of a community by doing things from people to people.
o Biodiversity loss
By teaching and practicing with children the ability to take care of nature and biodiversity stewardship.
o Responsible consumption
Purteka integrates environment and social factors efficiently into business objectives. This business affects and influences several sensitive areas: sustainable agriculture, education, sustainable cities and the local circular economy.
o Food security
Purteka is dedicated to the encourage communities and neighborhoods to take action to grow its own food by building local solution to global challenges.
I live in a town and in country when people have lost the sense of community: social organizations, such as networks, norms and trust that facilitate action and cooperation for mutual benefit. As Robert Putnam popularized the concept of social capital, he originally applied the idea of the quality of a community a “social capital”, derived from a study conducted in regional communities in Italy. Successful regions (such as Tuscany, contrary to Sicily) are characterized by a dense ‘civic engagement’ of community in all spheres of civic life. Putnam argued that social capital trigger cooperation among community and is connected to economic development and stresses the importance of trust as a cornerstone of a community development. Honesty as well is encouraged by dense social networks where reciprocity is part of tightly knit community.
Community gardening and other workshops, activities and projects are based on Putnam’s concept. So Purteka is trying to provide an opportunity for neighborhoods in order to mitigate some of the problems that plague urban areas. The vision that communities and people have to benefit from its own potential at large by building stronger communities, trust and connection by promoting healthier lifestyle, beatifying landscapes and more importantly educating children.
Community gardening and other workshops, activities and projects are based on Putnam’s concept. So Purteka is trying to provide an opportunity for neighborhoods in order to mitigate some of the problems that plague urban areas. The vision that communities and people have to benefit from its own potential at large by building stronger communities, trust and connection by promoting healthier lifestyle, beatifying landscapes and more importantly educating children.
