 The mission of Rwanda Community Association of Maine is to promote healthy families within their community by providing educational programs, cultural awareness and job training. Members of their community can take advantage of a large garden they have in Falmouth. Tarsis Nizibira, president of the association, gave Leslie Vane a tour and talked about the ways in which it helps promote a sense of community. Well Tarsis, the Rwandese Community Association of Maine has this beautiful garden behind us. Tell us how that got started and why it's important for the association to have this garden. Thank you so much. My name is Tarsis Nizibira Tarsis, president community association of women. I'm happy to be here to present community and the project for community around the association of women is easy to make garden farm, to visit some new people here, to help some new family here. To give people a chance to connect to the land again like they did in Rwanda. So you're growing these beautiful tomatoes, but you're also growing corn? Yes. Now corn is something you ate a lot of when you were in Rwanda. Yeah. And how do they cook it there? Yeah, you take corn, beans and you can like cook beans, you put in water and they wash, you can finish to wash, you put in, you cook. But now lots of street vendors cook it right on the street, the corn on the fire, right? Yes, yes. And the kids eat it like a snack. Yeah. Now you're also growing some chard and squash? Yes. Now you gave me a little trick with the squash. Yes. You don't just eat the squash, you eat the? I'm going to eat and after to start to eat, I'm going to cook the leaves. Yes. Now how many people come out here and work in the garden? Yeah, he was come to four people, come to her before me. Yeah. Because you're just getting it started, this is the first year. Two years. Two years. Yes. And so it takes a while to establish a garden, I know because I have one. Yes. And it takes a few years to figure out what's going to grow and what isn't. But the people who work in this garden, tell me what it means to them. I'm going to help some people to come to make garden, maybe for future and to make farm. And you're talking about perhaps adding chickens in the future? Yes. And having eggs? Yes. And this is not to sell for money, it's to have food for the people in the community association. Yes, I'm happy to give it for him. And they wake up to make garden. Uh huh. And I don't like to say, I'm giving for him to eat good food. Now, most of the people in the community association live in Portland. Yes. But this garden is in Falmouth. Yes. So to get out here, you either have to take a bus or ride your bike. You ride your bike out here. Me, I'm using bikes. Yeah. And some people now is on where to come here for this interview. He takes a bus. A bus. But it takes a while to get out here. So you have to be dedicated. Yes. Now is there an irrigation system here? Do they have water for the garden? Yes, you have the water. Uh huh. And how often do you come out here to tend the garden to take care of it? You don't have a nice weather, I can make water. There is water supply here? Yes. Oh, that's good. And now we have just eaten some of these wonderful tomatoes straight off the vine and I must say they taste better than any I've bought in the store. Yeah, it's nice here. It's different for about you can go to buy in the store. Now you find it in the garden. Yeah. It's so wonderful. Yeah. And your next crop to pick, I think you've been picking beans. You have beans? Yes. And then the next crop is the corn. Yes. It's coming along beautifully as we can see. So next year hopefully you'll have a bigger plot? Yes. For next year I have a feature for to make big space for garden. And have more people in the association involved? Yes. Yes. Well we look forward to coming out next year. Yeah. And eating more of these wonderful tomatoes. Yes. Thank you for joining us today to explain a little bit about what you're doing with the garden for the Rwandese Community Association of Maine. Yes. Thank you Tersis. Thank you. I appreciate city and television. I'm happy to keep it work together and thank you so much. Thank you. Yeah.