DR Congo: From Dialogue to Action: Home Gardens Strengthen Child Nutrition in Sake
In Sake, North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, families affected by conflict and economic hardship are turning nutrition knowledge into practical action. Following community nutrition dialogues supported by World Vision, mothers are establishing household gardens, improving meals for their children and sharing what they have learned with other families.
The dialogues form part of World Vision’s three-year ENOUGH campaign, launched in September 2024 to help reduce child hunger and malnutrition. They bring together children, parents, faith leaders and other community actors to examine local nutrition realities, identify the causes of hunger and propose urgent solutions. The approach places communities’ experiences and capacity for action at the centre.
At the Kaduki Safe Space in Sake, discussions addressed the nutritional needs of children and women, balanced diets, feeding practices, and the quality and quantity of food provided to children. Participants transformed these lessons into practical measures: cultivating vegetables, planting fruit trees and using available produce to diversify family meals.
For a long time, accessing vegetables was a challenge for some families. It required travelling to the market—sometimes over long distances—and having the financial means to purchase the necessary food.
For Furaha Neema, a nutrition discussion session helped her realise that part of the solution could be found right around her own home.
“Thanks to the lessons we received, we understood the importance of creating vegetable gardens.”
Today, she grows several varieties of vegetables, including amaranth. Her garden allows her to harvest the vegetables her children need directly.
“Now, I can simply go into my garden. I look at what is available and what is ready for harvest. I can pick a few vegetables for my children to eat.”
Beyond feeding her own family, Furaha has also been able to share her harvest with neighbours. Her experience demonstrates how an individual initiative can gradually benefit the wider community.
For Furaha Petronil, the training also changed the way she thinks about her children’s diet. She learned to grow crops such as amaranth and combine them with other foods to prepare more nutritious meals.
“When we don't have much food, we can simply go to the garden and harvest what we need.”
In a situation where some families face significant challenges accessing food, the garden serves as an additional, readily available source of food close to home.
For Matene Eliza, a mother of seven living in a makeshift shelter after her home was destroyed during the war, the garden has become a practical solution to her family’s food challenges.
“World Vision taught us how to ensure our children are well-nourished. So, I decided to start a small garden.”
She grows cassava leaves, amaranth and onions, as well as an avocado tree. The produce is primarily intended for her children. Convinced by the results, she also shares her knowledge with other mothers.
Community leaders have taken note of this momentum. Kwasu, the manager of the Kaduki Safe Space, explains that these dialogues have enabled women to better understand children’s nutritional needs and the importance of both food quality and quantity.
“Today, almost every mother makes an effort to maintain a vegetable garden and plant fruit trees around her home.”
Held between May and July 2026, these nutrition dialogues provide a space for communities to reflect on the causes of hunger and malnutrition, identify the challenges they face and propose solutions tailored to their specific circumstances.
In Sake, these vegetable gardens exemplify the transition from dialogue to action. Knowledge gained during a session becomes a family practice, which can then be shared with neighbours.
Change can begin with a small plot of land. But when a community learns, takes action and shares, that plot can become a source of nutrition, self-reliance and hope for many families.