Like many women from Tudun Wada village in Alkaleri LGA (Bauchi), Theresa Jacob, 32years, depended largely on her husband Jacob, 37years to provide for her and her four children. Jacob who is young and very agile worked tirelessly on his farm to support his family. Soon, he began to face health issues which limited the hours he was able to work. Most times, Theresa and her children go to bed hungry not being sure when the next meal will be available.
Theresa’s hunger ordeal ended when she was selected to represent her household in the Global Affairs funded Livelihood and Nutrition Empowerment(LINE) project in February 2017. She, along with the other women selected in her community, formed a cooperative group-Tudun Wada Women Groundnut Processing Association. Soon, Theresa became very active in the group and attended several trainings organized by the LINE Project. She told herself : “I don’t have to wait anymore for my husband to bring food home, I can now contribute and support him with my own little earnings”.
She participated actively in the nutrition sensitization meetings where she learnt about the importance of eating healthy meals prepared from different food groups such as cereals, roots, tubers, fruits, vegetables, milk and meat. Prior to the nutrition sensitization meetings, her family survived only on “tuwo” (bolus meals from maize) and “miyan kuka” (soup made with baobab leaves).
This soup is usually watery without any animal protein. Most of the time, the soup is prepared with no additional ingredient except salt and “dadawa” (local seasoning made from fermented locust bean seeds). At the meeting, she also learnt about the importance of having her own home garden, and how this will help her to have access to fresh vegetables to prepare nutritious meals for her family. “I asked permission from my husband to use the land around our house to cultivate my garden”.
In August 2017, the LINE project supplied her with horticultural seeds (spinach, moringa, okro, hibiscus, tomatoes, and pepper) to plant in her garden. She had earlier received maize seeds distributed to the cooperative members few months ago.
Theresa planted the seeds and nurtures her garden with her whole heart. The garden brings her family so much pride and joy. “When we see our garden, we are full of Joy”, said Theresa. “we look forward to a bountiful harvest. My family will never go to bed hungry again!”, she concluded.
“I don’t have to wait anymore for my husband to bring food home, I can now contribute and support him with my own little earnings”