Despite the rich alluvial soil of Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, the farmers of the Indra Kheda village can not produce enough food to feed their families and fall under acute malnutrition. The farming families are swallowed by debt and incessant poverty.

Vimala and Ramesh are very poor and became landless paying the debt of their ancestors. The family resides in Indrakheda village with their two children. The village is a small settlement of Korku Tribe. The family work hard on other land and taking other daily wage work to earn bread for their family. However, the food was neither adequate nor nutritious for ensuring the healthy growth of their family.

Malnutrition is one of the most serious and large-scale health problems faced by the people of Indra Kheda in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. The District Family Household Survey (DFHS-III) estimates that nearly 12% of children under 5 in MP have severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The high rates of malnutrition in this region are especially concerning because of the weak treatment and preventative care infrastructure and services available at the community level. Right to Food estimates that the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) currently only covers 36% of MP’s 0-6 population and 30% of the pregnant women.

Caritas India’s ‘Sabal’ programme is addressing the issue of chronic malnutrition and hunger in this region through its food and nutrition security initiatives.  The health issues of women and children are central concerns of the programme and, it has taken one more step to address the immediate issue of the community in an innovative way without changing its rooted focus.

With the support of the Sabal – Nutrition Health Worker (Laxmi) and the Anganwadi worker home visits are organised to measure and record the malnutrition status among the community. In one such visit, Vimala’s children were found weak and unhealthy. Elder daughter (21) who used to participate in Sabal adolescent girls’ meetings was identified as wasted and undernourished.

“We don’t own any land to cultivate our food; even we don’t have a pucca house. Every day we work on others land to earn our living,” sadly expressed Vimala while sharing the ordeal of the family to earn their livelihood. Laxmi consoled her and motivated her to make opportunities from whatever she owns. She suggested using the idle land near her house to develop a nutrition garden.

Laxmi through Sabal programme supported her with the vegetable seeds and fruit saplings.

Vimala and her daughter (Neha) protected the garden with local resources and her old sarees and took regular care by watering the plants and providing manure prepared organically. Indra kheda is a drought-affected village and people struggle to arrange water for their own needs. Irrigating the plants regularly is far beyond thinking. Vimala manages to irrigate her garden with the wastewater from her kitchen.

Within a month the plants started growing and bearing flowers. Recently during her follow-up visit, Laxmi was glad to see that Vimala has started harvesting vegetables from her nutrition garden and including in her family platter. Her children’s health has also improved. Vimala happily shared that “We often skipped purchasing vegetables from the market as they were high-priced. But now we are growing our own vegetables and I prepare a variety of delicacies for my family.” They also have got guava, custard apple, papaya and lemon growing in their vicinity which is taken care by her elder daughter.

Laxmi also supported the family to avail the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme (PM Awaas Yojana) and they have started the construction of their pucca house. Ramesh (husband of Vimala) expressed – “Laxmi didi ki vajah se aaj hume ek badiya makaan mila aur ghar par khane ko achha mil rha hai. KDSS Sabal walo ko bahut bahut dhanyawaad” (With the support of Laxmi sister we got this wonderful house built and getting good food at our home. Many thanks to KDSS Sabal team).