Great initiative, but I do hope that the shovels you bought them are not the ones pictured, as those appear to be snow shovels, which are neither intended nor designed for digging in the ground.

Agricultural shovels should have a sharpened pointed end for digging in soil. I've been gardening organically for years and, as a small woman dealing with heavy clay soil, I can attest that the proper shovel is worth its weight in gold.

Also, I highly recommend teaching the girls to make compost and grow their crops organically, as the the resulting crops will be healthier, more nutritious, and better able to withstand weather extremes than those grown with purchased fertilizers.

Sheet composting is the easiest way to start, which is explained here:
https://permaculturenews.org/2012/07/20/gorgeous-gardens-from-garbage-how-to-build-a-sheet-mulch/

This is a great way to prepare the soil quickly, with minimum work and expense, while vastly improving the texture and quality of the soil over time.

This is much more useful knowledge than teaching them to rely on purchased products that don't do nearly as good a job as Mother Nature.

If you need information regarding some of the best crops that they should be growing, which will produce well in their specific areas, I strongly recommend contacting www.echonet.org, as they work with people all over the world to end hunger.

Good luck with your initiative and best of luck to all the girls and women you are helping. Blessings to you all.

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