Mihir Malviya lives in Patlona
village, Bijori from District Sehore. His parents, Reena and Vinod, work as
laborers to make ends meet. Mihir, at 2.10 years of age, is underweight and
shorter compared to other children his age. He weighs 10.7 kg and is 91 cm
tall. Due to inadequate nutrition and a lack of essential nutrients, Mihir’s
growth has been stunted.
When Mihir’s mother, Reena, was
asked about his eating habits, she mentioned that he eats whatever is provided,
but they are unable to buy fruits and vegetables regularly from the market.
To address this issue, the Solidaridad
under its Good Farming- Good Food- Good Health programme provided vegetable
seeds and helped set up a small "Nutrition Garden" at their home.
They also planted a Moringa (drumstick) tree and provided information about its
health benefits.
Reena, now, includes Moringa
leaves in the children’s meals by adding them to puris and parathas, and other
dishes. She also incorporates fresh vegetables from the nutrition garden into
their diet. She has seen an incredible increase in Mihir health, he now weighs 12.3
kg.
Thanks to the excess produce from
the garden, the family has started selling the surplus vegetables, creating an
additional source of income. She has earned approximately Rs. 1,200 by selling
the produce.
This simple initiative has not only improved Mihir's health but has also helped uplift the family's financial situation.