Josephine and Francois weren’t doing well. Even though they were happily married, it seemed like life’s problems were endless. There wasn’t enough money, there wasn’t enough food, and their three young kids seemed to always be sick and underweight. Even the land their garden was on didn’t belong to them—they were renting it for a monthly fee.
Together, Josephine and Francois made 3,000 BIR a day; 1,800 BIR of that went to purchasing a kilogram of rice to feed the family. What was left was barely enough to cover other expenses. Not to mention, meals weren’t very nutritious and their youngest daughter, Gift, was looking very underweight. Maybe it was the lack of vitamins; maybe it was the constant sickness. Either way, Josephine was at the end of her rope.
When FH began to walk with the community of Kabarore, several new opportunities arose for Josephine and Francois. Agricultural workshops taught them how to compost and increase the production in their garden, and savings groups helped them put away their extra money.
Cascade groups helped keep their home hygiene in tip top shape, keeping sickness out of the house. “These changes and FH programs make me feel hopeful because they led us into self-management of our future,” Josephine explains gratefully. Things began to turn around. Especially for their little daughter, Gift.
Thanks to Denise, an FH volunteer who demonstrated cooking lessons, Josephine learned how to make a nutritious porridge out of cornmeal, soy flour, amaranth, and bananas for her daughter. Slowly but surely, Gift’s health returned.
Thanks to new vegetables in their household garden and new recipes from
cooking demonstrations, Josephine can whip up a variety of new healthy dishes!
Today, Josephine and Francois are doing better that they could have imagined. “I would like to see that there is no one case of children with malnutrition in our community,” says Josephine, now inspired to help other children struggling in her community. Thanks to FH groups, this couple is more socially connected to their community than ever. They are thriving—and ready to help others thrive too!
