In a small village in Lautem municipality in Timor-Leste, there is a small garden flourishing with vegetables and legumes. It is the pride of joy of father-of-six Americo.
“The vegetables are growing healthy,” he says.
The garden, which also features a papaya tree, is what Americo relies on to help feed his family. Like many other parents in his village, Americo farms for a living. Most of the produce he grows ends up on the dinner table, and any excess vegetables are sold at the markets.
Coming from a long line of farmers; Americo knows a thing or two about growing food. But when he first began his own garden his knowledge was limited. The water spinach, eggplant and banana seeds that he planted produced poor yields and were constantly eaten by pests.
Through ChildFund Timor-Leste and local partner Fraterna, Americo has been learning about sustainable farming techniques, as well as composting, food storage, and how to manage pests and establish water conservation systems. ChildFund and Fraterna have also supported Americo’s family with a variety of seeds and gardening tools.
Today, Americo no longer grows eggplants and bananas. There is still water spinach in his garden, but the plants are thriving. Among the spinach, there is green mustard, lettuce, soyabeans and string beans.
Americo has chosen to use a method called trench gardening. “I learned to grow vegetables using the technique of first preparing the soil by digging a hole and then burying it with dried leaves and some animal waste before planting seeds,” he says.
Playing sport isn’t just good for our physical health. It can also be an important tool in developing confidence, leadership and life skills. That’s why at ChildFund, we believe in the power of sport to change children’s lives.
Seventeen-year-old Na (pictured above), is a high school student and a rugby coach with the Lao Rugby Federation. She joined the Pass It Back program in 2015 after being encouraged by friends.
“At the beginning I wasn’t interested in playing rugby,” says Na. “But when I started playing, it was so much fun as well as challenging. Since then, I’ve been playing rugby seriously.”
In the early days, Na said one of her friends asked: “You are a girl and not as strong as boys, so how can you play rugby and coach others?” This was an opportunity to Na to explain that girls have the same rights to play sport, and the same abilities.
Na says: “I believe that everyone has unlimited ability. If we have a strong intention to develop ourselves, we can make it happen.”
After spending four months as a rugby player, Na applied to become a coach with the Lao Rugby Federation (LRF). Because of her outstanding performance, Na is now a coach for three youth rugby teams in Xieng Khouang Province in northern Laos.
Na says the Pass It Back program has taught her a great deal. She has strong leadership skills and the ability to set goals; these are tools that she can apply to her life off the rugby. Na explains: “When my parents are not at home, I have the confidence to make decisions and face and solve problems by myself.”
One of her goals is to complete her higher education. Na hopes to continue working as a rugby coach while she finishes her university course.
Na is also keen to share her newfound skills, saying she wants to “transfer all my knowledge to other children in my community”.
