DR Congo: Through the Positive Deviance Approach, Médiatrice Transforms Her Daughter’s Life in Gemena

In Gemena, South-Ubangi Province, Médiatrice’s story shows how improved nutrition knowledge and livelihood support can transform a child’s life and strengthen a family’s future.

A mother of two, Médiatrice was deeply concerned about the health of her four-year-old sponsored daughter, Magellande, who was underweight, weak, and not growing normally.

“I saw my child losing weight, but I didn’t know what to do. I had food, but I didn’t know how to prepare it properly for her health,” she recalls.

Magellande’s condition was identified during a household visit by community volunteers supported by World Vision DRC. She was then enrolled in the Positive Deviance Hearth (PD/Hearth) programme, a community-based approach that helps families use locally available foods and practices to improve child nutrition.

For 12 days, Médiatrice participated in practical learning sessions where she learned how to prepare balanced meals and improve her child’s diet.

“There, they showed us directly how to cook. I learned how to use the food I have here to strengthen my child,” she says.

Back home, she immediately applied what she had learned. The results were encouraging: Magellande gradually gained weight, regained her energy, and returned to good health.

According to Sylvain Sambo, Health and Nutrition Specialist in the Gemena Cluster:

“The PD/Hearth approach quickly improves the nutritional status of underweight children by building on positive local practices. Mothers learn by doing, which helps ensure lasting adoption of good feeding behaviours.”

To help sustain these gains, World Vision provided Médiatrice with livelihood support, including palm oil and sugar, enabling her to start a small doughnut-making business.

“With what I received, I started making and selling doughnuts at the market,” she explains.

The income allowed her to buy more nutritious food for her children and invest in livestock. Today, she owns ten piglets, creating a stable source of income for her family.

“I didn’t just use the money to eat. I invested little by little. Now, I can meet my children’s needs,” she says.

Thanks to this economic activity, Médiatrice can now provide a regular and diversified diet for her children, reducing the risk of malnutrition returning.

“Before, I was afraid my child would fall back into being underweight. Today, I feel reassured because I can feed her well,”she shares.

Sylvain Sambo highlights the value of combining nutrition and livelihoods: 

“Fighting malnutrition cannot be sustainable without strengthening household economic capacity. Income-generating activities ensure continuous access to quality food and help prevent relapse.”

Today, Médiatrice is optimistic about the future.

“My dream is to expand my livestock to secure my children’s survival and give them a good future,” she says.

Reflecting on the programme’s impact, she adds: “I thank World Vision. They didn’t just help me; they taught me how to feed my child and how to continue on my own.”

Médiatrice’s story demonstrates how the Positive Deviance Hearth approach, combined with livelihood support, helps families overcome malnutrition while building long-term resilience and hope for the future.