Community garden grows West African vegetables for local physicians, fosters understanding and appreciation

Photo of Dr. Ama Asiedu

The Mid Valley Region Physician Recruitment & Retention Committee plays a vital role in attracting, welcoming and supporting physicians in their community, which spans from Aylesford to Bridgetown. Working closely with the Nova Scotia Health Physician Recruitment Team, their efforts encompass everything from helping find suitable housing and childcare to hosting events and regularly bringing treats to clinics as a gesture of appreciation, including recently picking 900 Honeycrisp apples and delivering them to local medical clinics and the hospital staff at Soldiers Memorial Hospital!

The committee also helps participants in the Nova Scotia Practice Ready Assessment Program (NSPRAP), ensuring that internationally trained family physicians are settled into the community.

One of the initial challenges faced by many physicians upon their arrival was finding culturally appropriate food and access to certain vegetables at a reasonable cost, particularly for physicians from Africa. To address this need, the committee started a community garden.

“We decided that creating a West African garden filled with familiar foods would be a fantastic idea,” said Anne Crowell, a volunteer with the Mid Valley Region Physician Recruitment & Retention Committee.

“We’ve planted okra and various types of tomatoes, as tomatoes are a staple in almost every dish—whether in soups or stews, a tomato base is essential. We also included a variety of hot peppers, and we introduced garden eggs, which are similar to eggplant.”

Initially, the project started with just two garden beds, but it has expanded. The committee partnered with the NSCC Annapolis campus to start the garden on their property, where it is monitored and maintained.

“The more people know about our initiatives, the more educated and supportive they become in helping us settle newcomers,” said Don Hyslop, a retired schoolteacher who donates a significant amount of his time to recruitment and retention of physicians to the community.

Both the physicians and their children help with the gardens, filling them with soil and planting all the vegetables.

Physicians like Dr. Ama Asiedu and her family.

Both Dr. Asiedu and her husband, Dr. Jerry Asiedu, are family physicians from Ghana who completed their medical education in Ukraine. “When we went back to Ghana, we got seeds for garden eggs and okra for the garden. My kids really enjoy taking part. It’s usually a fun time planting and seeing everything grow.”

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Now practicing in Middleton, Dr. Asiedu expressed her fondness for the community: “Middleton is a wonderful and welcoming community.” She has also connected with fellow African physicians in the area.

“In my practice, there are two doctors from Ghana; the others are from Nigeria. We also have some medical residents from Dalhousie University here, so there are quite a number of us, and that number is growing.”

Crowell said she is also getting kids involved in community events. Fondly referred to as “Auntie Anne” by many of the children, she shared, “We started to include some of the older children in giving back to the community through our events. For example, during the 'Heart of the Valley Run,' we had the children handing out water cups as part of their volunteer experience.”

In August, the community hosted a Cultural Event featuring Red Seal chef Chantelle Webb, along with dancing from the Sankofa Dance Group and drumming from Drummers from Home, for more than 120 guests. This now-annual cultural event highlighted West African traditions and cuisines.

“We wanted to celebrate our diverse community and create an opportunity for the physicians and their families to share their culture with others. It was important for us to foster understanding and appreciation for West African traditions,” said Crowell. Hyslop added, “Not only do we show them that we value their heritage and culture, but our community also gets to experience this and grow as well.”

Dr. Asiedu and her family really enjoyed the day. “It was a fun event with great food. The chef, Chantelle, did an amazing job preparing the African meal. We had rice, eggplant stew, and bean sauce, which was really good,” said Dr. Asiedu.

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On Aug. 31, a day that commemorates the International Day for People of African Descent, the Mid Valley Region Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee and Soldiers Memorial Hospital Foundation partnered with the Middleton Legion, which placed African Nova Scotian banners and flags throughout the Middleton area to welcome and celebrate the area’s African physicians and healthcare providers. A highlight of the event was the unveiling of the African Nova Scotian flag. Crowell shared, “Our committee worked closely with the artist to get permission to hang the flags as banners. They now line the streets of Middleton, proudly displayed on the poles.” Hyslop added, “If you drive through the community of Middleton now, you will see those flags on all the poles. It’s quite something.”

Thanks to funding from the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment for the community garden and cultural event, the Mid Valley Region Physician Recruitment & Retention Committee helps physicians feel valued and welcomed in their community. The committee's efforts contribute to a supportive and inclusive community that attracts and retains physicians.