DR Congo: Growing Health: How William Is Cultivating a Healthier Future for His Children

The sun is already high as William bends between the rows of vegetables in his family garden in Ntompo, in the Muzodi health area, within the Luambo Health Zone in Kasaï Central. Beside him, his wife helps with the day’s harvest. Together, they select the vegetables that will be used to prepare a meal for their children.

In this village, located about 20 kilometres from the Luambo Health Zone, this scene has become a familiar routine. Yet just a few years ago, William never imagined that he would play such an active role in matters related to his children’s nutrition and well-being.

Today, as the father of eight children, he devotes part of his time to tending the family garden behind his home. He also takes part in decisions about the household’s meals and supports his wife in activities related to the family’s health.

“Before, I thought that feeding the children was solely my wife’s responsibility. Today, we discuss the family’s needs together. I help with the garden, and as a couple, we decide which foods are best for the children,” he says.

Like many men in his community, William once viewed nutrition and childcare as responsibilities reserved for women. This perception began to change through discussions organised within his community.

Mobilising Men for Children’s Well-being

William’s experience is part of a chronic malnutrition prevention project funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and implemented by World Vision in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Luiza and Luambo health zones. The project places particular emphasis on engaging families and communities in promoting good nutrition practices.

To encourage men’s involvement in children’s nutrition and care, 41 positive masculinity focus groups were organised across the 41 health areas covered by the project, bringing together 410 community male leaders, an average of ten participants per health area.

These dialogue spaces give men an opportunity to discuss their role within the household, their involvement in feeding children, and their support for pregnant and breastfeeding women. 

For William, these discussions marked a turning point.

“We realised that a child’s health depends on the involvement of both parents. Nutrition is not just a women’s responsibility.”

When Nutrition Begins in the Garden

In Ntompo, the lessons William received did not remain theoretical. He chose to put them into practice in his daily life.

The family garden has become a space where the couple work together to produce some of the food consumed by their family. The vegetables they harvest help diversify their children’s meals and improve their diets.

Far beyond agricultural production, this collaboration has strengthened communication within the household and encouraged a fairer sharing of responsibilities.

“We talk more about the children’s needs and what we need to do to help them grow up healthy,” William explains.

According to him, being more involved in family life has enabled him to better understand his children’s needs and support his wife in making important decisions about their health and nutrition.

A Change That Inspires an Entire Community

The changes observed in William’s household illustrate one of the key objectives of the project: to make children’s nutrition and well-being a shared responsibility between parents.

Across the communities of Luiza and Luambo, more and more men are taking part in discussions on positive masculinity and becoming more aware of their role in supporting their children’s healthy development. Community leaders are also helping to reinforce these messages, contributing to lasting changes in behaviour within households.

In Ntompo, William’s garden has become more than a source of food. It symbolises a new way of thinking about family nutrition, where fathers and mothers join forces to give their children the best possible chance to grow up healthy.