Imagine not having enough food to eat. Or watching your family become sick because all you have to feed them is pumpkin.
Every year in Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor), families face a hungry season where they experience severe food shortages for at least a couple of months. But drought and rising food prices now mean the hungry season lasts for up to five months.
As food stores run out, families are limited to eating one or two sources of food. Lorensa, a mother of five from the Covalima district, was forced to feed her children not just pumpkin but its leaves too. Not having a good variety of food for nutrition is as much of a problem as food shortages. Without a balanced diet including protein and essential vitamins, children run the risk of chronic malnutrition.
Lorensa's story
Photo: Tom Greenwood/OxfamAUS
A recipe for better health
Oxfam Australia’s nutrition and health program is helping families produce healthy meals that protect their children against malnutrition. We’re working with communities like Lorensa’s to provide:
- Vegetable seeds for a healthy diet
- Training in nutrition and the preparation of balanced meals to improve health
- Farming techniques to grow larger crops that can help create a source of income
How you can make a difference
Donate today and give mothers like Lorensa the right food and information to prevent childhood malnutrition. Help us stop hunger in Timor-Leste so that people have the strength to lift themselves out of poverty.
Kylie Kwong recipe
Acclaimed chef, author and Oxfam Ambassador Kylie Kwong is supporting Oxfam Australia's Stop Hunger Appeal. Find out more.
More stories from Timor-Leste
Gonzales' story
Oxfam is helping Gonzales grow a wider range of crops, which is improving nutrition and providing valuable income.
Adriana's story
With Oxfam's help Adriana has attended nutrition classes and set up a vegetable garden, so she can now grow essential food for her family.
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