Mālaʻai

What We Do

The mission of Mālaʻai is to cultivate the relationship between students and the land through growing and sharing nourishing food in our outdoor living classroom. Our work reaches beyond the boundaries of our garden connecting land stewardship, culture, health and pleasure with lifelong learning. The Hawaiʻi Island School Garden Network (HISGN) cultivates the relationship among our children, our teachers and our ʻāina, by nourishing a vibrant network that supports the growth and integration of school learning gardens through professional development, advocacy, mentorship, and technical assistance. Founded in 2003, Māla’ai was created to address the disconnection between children living in today’s fast-paced, consumer-oriented society and their lack of awareness of food origins and production. Operating as a 501(c)3 in partnership with WMS has allowed the garden to grow and flourish over the last 15 years despite constant change within our school and DOE. Amanda Rieux and Mālaʻai have been involved with HISGN since itʻs inception in 2007. Originally a project of The Kohala Center and under the astute leadership of Nancy Redfeather, Mālaʻai took over its management in 2019 in order to reinvigorate the network and support the larger school garden movement. At our model garden at Waimea Middle School and all learning gardens, Hawai‘i Island students are producing their own food in school gardens and developing a taste for healthy, fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, and more. In turn, they and their families are learning about health and nutrition, how to nurture and keep island soils healthy, and how our ma uka or “uphill” work protects our oceans. And about how we—as individuals, families, and a society—can care for the island and its communities.

Who We Are

Mālaʻai operates a one-acre learning garden at Waimea Middle School (WMS) and administers the Hawaii Island School Garden Network (HISGN). We offer place-based, hands-on education with a strong cultural component to all 262 students at WMS through their Science, Health/PE, BPA, Social Studies and Ike Hawaiʻi classes. We also serve the larger Waimea community through donations of food, public workshops, and local partnerships. Through HISGN we offer professional development, mentorship, and technical assistance to teachers and administrators across the island who operate or are interested in school learning gardens. There are currently 60 schools with learning gardens that we support. In partnership with the Hawaii Farm to School Hui, we also advocate for learning gardens and schools at a county and state level.

Cause Areas

Food Insecurity, Health & Wellness, Environmental Conservation, Education & Training

Featured Video

---