Everyday life can be challenging for a family with disabilities, especially for those living in developing communities overseas. This was certainly the case for Hung, a farmer living with his family in Cao Bang Province. Hung found himself struggling to understand his eight-year-old daughter, Hao, and meet her needs as a young child with Down syndrome.
“I didn’t know what to do,” he recalls. “She doesn’t know how to speak, and when she speaks it’s not clear, sometimes only a few words.”
Hung faced new, unexpected challenges raising a daughter with a disability. He needed to adjust to a whole new way of life and learn how to help support Hao’s development.
ChildFund Australia is working with local communities to help support parents of children living with disabilities. Through the ChildFund-supported project ‘My Right to Education’, families are building support networks for a more accepting environment and culture. This includes promoting a more inclusive learning environment in schools and the community, and openly discussing the additional needs of children with disabilities.
“Before, Hao could only name one friend from the same commune, but now she speaks to her teacher and has more friends.”
“We can now speak with commune officials and teachers so that our children aren’t denied the right to participate. They are able to learn and achieve at school,” says Hung. “Hao has received a lot of guidance from teachers and the the project team.”
Hung says that his daughter’s social skills have improved as a result. “Before, Hao could only name one friend from the same commune, but now she speaks to her teacher and has more friends.”
Through the project’s training sessions, Hung and his wife have also learnt how to guide Hao to keep personal hygiene and carry out daily activities. “Hao now listens to us,” says Hung, adding he is proud of her achievements. “She knows how to brush teeth, get dressed, and comb hair all by herself.”
“I’ve changed my habits too,” says Hung. I’m more patient now, and spend time playing with my children outside!”
Hao (centre) and her father, Hung (left) with their new chickens.
This year, Hung registered to raise chickens to improve his children’s nutrition and his family’s finances. With only a few fields to cultivate, there are days when the family does not have enough to eat. As part of the ChildFund project, participating families can choose to buy chickens at a subsidised rate. Families receive chicken feed for the first 20 days, as well as guidance on how to raise chickens.
“I bought 100 chickens. I plan to raise them for food, and I can also sell them to buy school supplies for my children.”
Hung’s decision to register was, in part, guided by his daughter’s personal taste. “Because Hao likes to eat chicken, I bought 100 chickens. I plan to raise them for food, and I can also sell them to buy school supplies for my children.”
Hung shared that, thanks to the support and guidance of project team members, his chickens are growing healthily.
“I installed heat lamps for the chickens and gave them medicine to prevent diseases. I also boiled guava leaf water to give the chickens to drink. Hao also helps me feed the chickens and plays with them. She hopes the chickens grow up fast!”
Looking ahead, Hung hopes more parents of children with disabilities, as well as the wider community, will take the time to understand and accept their child’s needs so they can provide the right support. Hung says he and his wife, Lua, dream for Hao is simple: “We hope she is healthy and won’t be criticised or shunned by others.”
Whether cooking alongside his family in Argentina or travelling to remote corners of the world as an ambassador for ChildFund Australia, Juan De La Cruz’s belief in the transformative power of food remains unwavering. His recent visit to Timor-Leste brought this belief into sharp focus, as he witnessed firsthand how food is not just about filling stomachs; it’s a vital resource that can break cycles of poverty, foster community and help build healthier futures for children.
On a hot verandah in rural Manatuto, Timor-Leste, a group of malae (foreigners) sipped strong Timorese coffee and snacked on local delicacies such as cassava with chilli sauce, bread rolls with butter and fresh plantain. As we ate, Joana*, a local health volunteer, shared the story of her younger sister’s pregnancy. Her words, a blend of English and Tetum, painted a vivid picture of the challenges families in her community face, particularly pregnant women and mothers trying to access basic healthcare.
Joana recounted how, in 2020, her sister went into labour and called for help. But during the wet season, the three-hour journey from their village to Dili – by car, boat, or even on foot – was impossible. Separated by water and isolated from medical support, both mother and baby tragically lost their lives. We may not have shared the same language or lived experiences, but a profound connection formed as we sat there, digesting the heaviness of Joana’s words over our shared meal. It was a quiet understanding, rooted in the deep sadness of a loss that could have been prevented, reminding us why conversations – and the moments of insight they bring – are so often woven together over food.
Among the group of malae was Juan, who had travelled to Timor-Leste to visit a health program supported by ChildFund. For the chef and ChildFund ambassador, this story was a powerful reminder of how food is truly a universal language of connection – a way to understand and engage with a place and its people. “Food is the expression of a culture,” he says. “It’s the best way to understand what people value, how they live and what they produce.” This belief took on even greater meaning during his visit to a nutrition and maternal health session in Manatuto.
“What I saw in Timor-Leste was truly inspiring,” Juan recalls. “Despite having so little, the people there were willing to share everything they had. That generosity, that sense of community – it’s what makes the difference. It’s what makes food so powerful.” As Juan witnessed firsthand, food is more than just sustenance; it’s a bridge between people, a way of expressing love and culture and the heart of any community.
Earlier this year, Juan De La Cruz visited a remote community in Manatuto, Timor-Leste, where he befriended the locals, including the youngest ones. Photo: Sambath Tep.
“Food is the expression of a culture. It’s the best way to understand what people value, how they live and what they produce.”
The Heart of the Family Table
It’s no surprise to those who know Juan (or recognise him from his appearance on a certain cooking show) that food has always been central to his life. Growing up in a large family with eight siblings, mealtimes were never quiet or predictable. Whether in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, or Santiago – cities his family moved between due to his father’s work as a pilot – food was the one constant that held them together.
“In Argentina, food is never just about eating,” Juan says. “It’s about bringing people together. No matter how many times we moved or where we were, the kitchen was always the heart of our home.”
From a young age, Juan found solace in the kitchen. Struggling with asthma, he couldn’t always join in outdoor activities, so he gravitated toward the warmth and comfort of the kitchen. “That’s when I started learning to cook with my mum,” he recalls. “She cooked for the whole family every day, and I’d watch her, fascinated by how she turned simple ingredients into something that brought us all together. I remember asking to help, and she showed me how to make empanadas. That memory has always stuck with me – it was more than just cooking; it was a moment of connection.”
Whether cooking together in the kitchen with his mum or enjoying Sunday barbecues (a cherished tradition in Argentina), food was the heartbeat of family life. It continues to shape the way Juan sees the world today. But it was in Timor-Leste, with ChildFund Australia, that he truly saw how food – when coupled with education and support – could transform entire communities, help children grow healthy and strong, and give mums and mums-to-be peace of mind and the best possible start for their children. As Juan says, “Nutrition isn’t just about food. It’s about creating a foundation for change – helping families build healthier, stronger futures.”
Building Healthier Futures
Timor-Leste, one of the world’s newest nations to gain independence, is rich in cultural heritage but grapples with severe poverty. As one of the most disadvantaged countries in Asia, nutrition remains a critical concern, especially for families in rural areas. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), nearly half of all children under five are stunted, 8.6% suffer from acute malnutrition, and 23% of women of reproductive age are anemic.
Malnutrition in Timor-Leste is driven by multiple factors, including insufficient nutrient intake due to poor breastfeeding and feeding practices, inadequate dietary diversity for infants and young children, lack of food safety, poor health-seeking behaviours and limited access to clean water and sanitation. Together, these challenges create a vicious cycle that is difficult to break, especially in remote areas with few resources.
In response to these challenges, ChildFund Timor-Leste and its partners are working tirelessly to improve nutrition and health for pregnant women, mothers, and children, especially in the country’s most isolated regions. Health sessions and activities – such as cooking demonstrations, hygiene education and teaching the importance of washing ingredients – aim to tackle malnutrition and improve health. Juan witnessed the pressing need for nourishing foods and how food is central to empowering communities to improve their circumstances.
A Community Effort
In Manatuto, Juan worked alongside the Mothers Support Group, a dedicated network of women (and a few men) committed to helping mothers navigate pregnancy with confidence. The focus? Rest, hydration and better nutrition. Together, they prepared a nutrient-rich porridge with chicken, kidney beans, leafy greens, pumpkin and moringa, a local superfood.
One health volunteer shared, “Most families prefer local food because store-bought options are too expensive. They have access to food, but their knowledge of nutrition is limited.”
As Juan chopped vegetables for the porridge, he laughed and exchanged a few words in Portuguese and English with the volunteers, all peeling pumpkin together. Despite the language barrier, the simple act of cooking became a shared expression of care and connection.
Juan cooking with members of the Mothers Support Group. On the menu: a nourishing porridge dish packed with chicken, beans, vegetables and local superfoods like moringa. . Photo: Sambath Tep.
“Nutrition isn’t just about food. It’s about creating a foundation for change – helping families build healthier, stronger futures.”
One of the women Juan served was Maria*, 22, a mother with a 3-month-old baby boy. Maria had recently started attending ChildFund’s health and nutrition sessions at her local centre. Before these sessions, Maria’s diet consisted mainly of plain rice porridge and a few vegetables – the typical diet for many breastfeeding mothers in the community. However, since learning about nutrition, Maria has begun incorporating more nutrient-dense foods into her cooking, with excellent results fpr her and her baby’s health. “The health volunteers measured his upper mid-arm,” Maria said, smiling. “They were shocked because he’s healthier than most babies his age!”
Maria sits with her baby outside the health post in Manuato. After attending nutrition counselling and cooking classes, she’s seen her baby’s health and weight improve. Photo: ChildFund Timor-Leste.
The Power of Nutrition
Investing in the nutrition of mothers and children goes beyond improving health; it’s about empowering communities to break the cycle of malnutrition and build stronger foundations for future generations. In Timor-Leste, families are gaining the knowledge and confidence to transform their children’s futures. Through ChildFund’s programs, they receive practical education in nutrition, hygiene and safe childbirth. The true impact, however, lies in the lasting changes families make for their children. When children are well-fed, they grow stronger, healthier and more focused, unlocking their full potential.
While these communities are incredibly resilient, they still face challenges that require continued help. “When you support ChildFund, you’re not just feeding a child for one day – you’re investing in the future of families eager to change their lives but lacking the resources to do so,” says Juan.
It’s a reminder that the simplest meals can have the greatest impact. Education in nutrition can change lives, not just in Timor-Leste, but worldwide. With your help, we can continue equipping children and families with the tools they need to build better futures – one meal at a time. As Juan puts it, “Food isn’t just a need. It’s a lifeline.”
*Names have been changed to protect individuals’ identity.
