Tisiana, a young girl of the Bolivian Altiplano, was anxious the first time she walked several miles to attend school in the nearby Capiri village. She spoke the Aymaran language at home and her Spanish skills were lacking. At the new school, young Tisiana would learn of a new farming method that would bring hope and health to her village.

Tisiana's home atop the Bolivian Altiplano is ill-suited for farming. At 13,000 feet above sea level, nighttime temperatures can drop to freezing during the warmest months. Because of frequent hail and frost, fresh vegetables are scarce and malnutrition is a serious problem.

For several years, the Ezra Taft Benson Agriculture and Food Institute has taught methods of food production. Among the alternative solutions developed by the Benson Institute is a small subterranean greenhouse called a pankar-huyu, an Aymaran word meaning flower garden.

At school, Tisiana learned to build a pankar-huyu. She learned to dig a hole three yards long and one yard deep and build a wooden frame with a plastic cover stretched over the top. The cover allows the sun's rays to enter, maintains heat, conserves moisture, and can be opened or lowered to regulate temperature.

One evening Tisiana returned home from school determined to build her own pankar-huyu. As she began to dig, the men of the village approached and asked what she was doing. With new-found self-confidence, Tisiana told them that she was building a pankar-huyu to provide food for her family. The men of the village watched and learned. Soon, other families began to build their own greenhouses.

Tisiana not only reaped the benefits of improved health, but also enjoyed improved self-esteem. As she learned to successfully grow and harvest crops for her family and neighbors, Tisiana blossomed. She was able to continue her schooling and is now attending the Bolivian equivalent of junior high school.

Because of Tisiana's example, there are now 18 pankar-huyus in her village, allowing for year-round cultivation of nutritious vegetables. With these simple structures, Tisiana has brought hope and health to the people of her village. — Welfare Services