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In a rural community in Timor-Leste, mother-of-six Sidonia is planting seeds for change. As part of a growing woman-led movement focused on building a resilient future through farming, Sidonia is cultivating her own crops to protect her family’s nutrition and livelihood. And she is on a mission to empower more women in her close-knit community in Lautem Municipality to do the same.

“I really want to encourage more women to get involved in this farming group and start cultivating their own food because our land is very fertile,” she says. “We shouldn’t be consuming imported products all the time as they contain harmful chemicals.”

Located in a remote, mountainous region, Sidonia’s community is vulnerable to the effects of climate change including drought, earthquakes, flash flooding, and storms. In her community and many others across Timor-Leste, agricultural productivity has in the past been low and many families often face food scarcity. More than 70 per cent of the population of Timor-Leste depend on rain-fed agriculture as a main source of income. 

ChildFund Timor-Leste is working with its local partners to support Sidonia and other women in her community to grow nutritious vegetable farms that are adaptable to the impacts of climate change. ChildFund provided training and all the essential tools and resources, including vegetable seeds, water tanks, ladders, and plastic tunnels, needed to become a successful farmer. Through the project, Sidonia learnt how to grow a range of vegetables, including green mustard, cabbage, onions, lettuces, eggplant, and spinach. 

I really want to encourage more women to get involved in this farming group and start cultivating their own food because our land is very fertile. We shouldn’t be consuming imported products all the time as they contain harmful chemicals.

Sidonia

But Sidonia’s farm is providing more than just healthy, nourishing food for her and her children; a surplus of crops is helping to sustain her household financially, specifically the costs of sending her children to school. As part of her training, Sidonia learnt how to best monetise her harvest to generate extra income. “I plant the vegetables mostly for my family’s daily consumption, but if we have more than enough we usually sell them to earn some money,” she says. “The crop results are always great, and we have harvested many times.”

Sidonia says her newfound sisterhood of farmers is helping to bolster the wider community. “When we sell the vegetables to other people, even to our neighbours, it means we are contributing to the local economy.”

Sidonia is a passionate farmer and inspiring leader, spearheading positive and sustainable change in her community. She hopes that more women can create their own farming groups and learn more about the benefits of growing local, nutritious food. “After all,” she says, “we women are keyholders in the family because we prepare the food.”

There is no time to spare in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life – an important foundational period for development and growth.

Children are more likely to lead healthier, brighter lives when they have supportive environments in these early years; the right care and nutrition are essential to their future wellbeing.

In Timor-Leste, knowledge around health, nutrition and food preparation is limited. This is compounded by poor access to health care and hygiene education and facilities. As a result, child malnutrition is a major issue across Timor-Leste, says Americo, a health volunteer supporting families in Lautem municipality. “It can happen to anyone, but mostly it affects children under the age of five in communities in rural areas.”

“When children are sick, some parents don’t take them to the community health centre, but instead seek traditional healers.”

Since 2022, ChildFund Timor-Leste has been working with local partners to train health volunteers like Americo to assist in reducing the rate of child malnutrition in communities. Health volunteers work with parents and caretakers to access nutritious local foods and prepare healthier meals for their children.

Part of the project includes cooking lessons, which have become a popular and invaluable experience for families involved. Lessons focus on teaching parents about the power of the food grown in their own backyard and how best to prepare it for small bellies.

Americo says: “We teach families how to cook meals using produce from their farms, such as rice, chicken, vegetables, eggs, moringa, and coconut oil. We cook these meals, and feed the children three or four times a day or whenever they are hungry. Lots of people don’t know about the benefits of local products.”

Health volunteers are also helping to identify and diagnose malnutrition in its early stages and provide the appropriate nutrition intervention. “Whenever we weigh a child, and the child’s weight is below average, we immediately make plans with the mothers to start cooking lessons,” explains Americo. “We teach them how to cook nutritious porridge for the child to consume for 12 days and then weigh the child again to see their progress. Most of the children gain 2.5 to 3kg.”

Even though the program lasts only 12 days, Americo encourages mothers to continue making meals of nutritious porridge at home. He says families are taking a more proactive approach to their children’s health and wellbeing, scheduling regular health check-ups, and dietary habits in the community have improved. “Malnourished children have gained weight to reach a healthy range, and the mothers are very appreciative of the support, education and encouragement given to them,” says Americo.

 “We will continue to work to improve the lives of babies, children, mothers, and the whole community.”

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