More food, more health, more education

"For years, hunger stuck to my family like a leech. We had only some paddy-fields, my family often suffered hunger for several months in rainy season. We had to borrow rice from neighbours to eat,” says Chuong, a Kor ethnic woman living in Tra Bong mountainous district, Quang Ngai province.

"My husband died of pneumonia three years ago. Since then, the family burden has fallen on me. I worked as a hired hand to earn enough money,” shares the mother of five.

The hardship callused her hands and she never stopped thinking about finding food for her children. Due to hunger and illness, the children didn't attend school regularly.

Chuong’s family life began to change when she was encouraged to participate in the community nutrition club set up by World Vision. 

She has now been involved with the club for three years. The club includes 25 mothers and caregivers of under-five children. They participate in regular activities twice a month. At the meetings, the mothers receive training on child care, hygiene, prevention of common diseases, vegetable gardening and cooking. More importantly, the participants receive training and support for growing rice and raising pigs or chickens

"Now I am confident that we will have enough rice to eat. At school, my children are no longer so anxious as they know they will have food when they return home."

Chuong and her two daughters - Trinh (grade 6) and Huyen (grade 3) help pack paddy rice after drying it in their courtyard.

"The breeding sow I received from World Vision gave me 11 piglets at one farrow. In four months I can earn nearly 15 million Vietnamese dong (about USD $714) from selling the pigs. At that time, my four daughters will start their new school year. I will buy pens, notebooks and new clothes for them. And all the remainder will be used to raise more pigs,” Chuong says about her plans.

"I hope my children will not suffer any more hardships. I am thankful to World Vision for helping me to gain a living." She also hopes that, unlike during her youth, many girl children will enter higher education. 

Chuong is one of 960 mothers from 50 community nutrition clubs supported by the World Vision’s Tra Bong Development Programme Area.