Shamba owners in Kenya’s Coast Province plant onions, kale, tomatoes, spinach and black eyed peas. Sometimes they sell their mboga at the market, but often they are eaten for dinner – nutritious additions to a starchy meal of ugali, rice or githeri. In an area where drought is worsening – the rivers now dry and livestock dying – this is a great asset. Through initiatives like this, I continue to discover our commonality, which as S. writes, is a source of great strength. On my parent’s balcony, my mother and sister grow sweet purple grapes, fat red tomatoes, sweet peas, lavender, and basil.