Lamwaka Emerensiana's story

Lamwaka Emerensiana

“The most important change is that I have ready nutritious food for my household, ensuring my children are healthy.”

Lamwaka Emerensiana is a 47-year-old resident of Obia East, Bardege Division in Gulu Municipality. She is married with six children. Lamwaka decided to grow local vegetables because her children constantly suffered from malnutrition and because quick income from selling local vegetables could help increase her savings in the VSLA. After receiving agronomy training from a VEDCO field officer, she became interested in cowpea production like the rest of her group members. The training equipped her with cowpea production skills, and she planted a quarter-acre garden using cowpea seed provided by VEDCO. Producing and consuming local vegetables brought several changes to her life and household. She no longer goes to the market to buy local vegetables, she has her own seed for planting, and her family has enough nutritious food to eat. Household expenditure has reduced, while income has increased through the sale of cowpea leaves to market vendors. Lamwaka also sells vegetables in bulk to community members at affordable prices and sells seed so that more households can grow enough food and reduce malnutrition. The work has fostered unity in her group, with members supporting each other during unforeseen challenges. For Lamwaka, the most important change is having ready nutritious food for her household, keeping her children healthy, and earning income that allows her to save more in the group.