Cooking Up Better Nutrition
Febriana is a 24-year-old mother of two young daughters living in Suku Bobometo, a town located in the Oecusse Special Region. This region is separate from the rest of the country of Timor-Leste and data shows that over half of the children in the area are stunted due to chronic malnutrition. The overall goal of the program is to sustainably improve food security in this particularly vulnerable area.
Before joining the program, Febriana’s daily routine centered entirely on childcare and preparing basic meals for her family.
Upon being invited to join the program, Febriana received practical support including chickens and materials to build a chicken coop as well as training in animal husbandry. She also received seeds to start her own home garden and training in modern farming techniques. Finally, she participated in cooking demonstrations that helped her to add more nutrition to the food she was preparing each day. She credits all of these improvements with transforming how she cares for her family.
The cooking demonstrations, in particular, had a profound impact. Previously, Febriana only knew how to prepare plain porridge for her children. She now enriches it with nutrient-dense vegetables such as pumpkin, mustard greens, spinach, and moringa leaves, ensuring her daughters receive the essential vitamins they need for healthy development.
“The guidance from the project staff has changed our daily cooking habits for the better.”
Febriana hopes the program will expand to other villages, helping to address the high malnutrition rates across the Oecusse Special Region.
Timor-Leste Oecusse is led by Church World Service (CWS) and local partner Fundasaun Sosial Naroman (FUSONA)