Capacity Building Towards Empowered Transwomen
May 2, 2025
Transforming a Cliff into Productive Land
May 5, 2025Planting Vegetables, Supporting Nutrition
Gervasia Devita Luan (36 years old) is a mother from Webriamata Village, Wewiku Sub-district, Malaka Regency. She is one of the pregnant women from Raiikun Hamlet who, according to a midwife’s examination at the Webriamata Village Health Post (Poskesdes), was diagnosed with Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED). Upon learning of her condition, Gervasia — who was pregnant with her first child — did not fall into disappointment or despair. Instead, she tried various ways to overcome her situation.
On March 8, 2023, Gervasia attended a prenatal class at the Poskesdes and received services from the village midwife. The results still indicated that she was experiencing CED. Gervasia, along with four other women, faced the same condition. In response, the village midwife discussed with the Webriamata Village Government how to address the issue of the five pregnant women with CED. One of the initiatives carried out by the midwife, the Village Government, and staff from CD Bethesda YAKKUM was to provide vegetable seeds for planting in home gardens.
Gervasia in front of her vegetable garden
After returning from the prenatal class, Gervasia immediately discussed with her husband the idea of preparing a plot of land. Initially, they faced major challenges: the garden beds they had prepared were destroyed by heavy rains, making them unusable. However, Gervasia and her husband did not give up and worked hard to build six new garden beds. Eventually, they succeeded in planting vegetables, including water spinach, eggplant, long beans, and mustard greens.
One thing that made Gervasia and her husband proud was that her nutritional needs were being met, as she was able to consume homegrown vegetables daily. On April 15, 2023, Gervasia and her husband, Alfons, managed to harvest water spinach from five garden beds, with each bed producing a value of around IDR 75,000 to IDR 100,000. The other vegetables were still small and not yet ready for harvest. The proceeds from selling the harvested vegetables were used to purchase childbirth necessities and to support other family needs.
Gervasia’s vegetable garden.
"I am very happy and proud," said Gervasia, whose pregnancy had reached eight months, "I am confident that my child will be healthy, and I must give birth at the health center (Puskesmas)."
Gervasia further shared, "Even though there has not been any supplementary food (PMT) assistance from Weoe Health Center for pregnant women with CED, my husband and I have been able to address my nutritional deficiency using the potential we have — a plot of land in our home yard."
When attending another Prenatal Class Meeting at Webriamata Poskesdes on April 5, 2023, it was confirmed that Gervasia's nutritional status had improved. Gervasia hopes that in life, one should put in a lot of effort rather than relying too much on others.
*(Dina Klau)
