There was a distinct fragrance of lemons wafting down Prince Alfred Street last week when 55 lemon trees were donated to Center for Social Development (CSD) for distribution at their various pre-schools and projects that they work with.
Prof Martin Hill from the Department of Zoology and Entomology donated the trees that were used as part of a departmental research project. Donning his delivery cap, Dr Tony Henninger personally delivered the trees to each of the schools identified by CSD.
The health benefits of lemons are widely understated; from stopping the excessive flow of bile, to cleansing the mouth and aiding digestion. It is also useful for the treatments of a variety of ailments, in particular it has been reported to prevent vomiting and also destroys intestinal worms, common ailments among many pre-schoolers.
The pre-schools that CSD works with, are situated in areas that are under-serviced, without adequate, or in many cases, no access to flushing toilets or running water. These are ideal conditions for the spread of intestinal worms.
The recipients of the trees were very happy and many of them set about planting their lemon trees immediately.
One of the CSD projects, the Self-Help groups (SHG), will use the trees as an addition to the vegetable garden they have started. The SHG model embraces a community development approach that encourages personal growth and self-reliance and serves as a powerful medium for the development of vibrant communities. Through their vegetable gardens, the members are able to provide food for their families and also sell food to the other members of the SHG.
CSD thanks the Department Zoology and Entomology for their kind donation and it proves that science, in this case a lemon tree used as part of a research project, can contribute to social development.