Local Plants balance family’s diet.

Titaa has lived with her husband and four children on Betio for almost 10 years. She is strict about giving her family a balance diet, but admits it’s not always easy to do so. “I always cook my family meals with vegetables that are available from the stores, but sometimes it is hard to get these vegetables especially when we have no money, or the vegetables run out, “she says.”

Titaa had never heard about our own native plants that are nutritious and can be used in cooking for a healthy diet.

About two years ago one of the ChildFund staff visited her house and did a mini household maroro (Workshop) on nutrition. She realizes now that our own native plants that are naturally grown in the environment and around the homes such as “Iaroo”, “Iamai” and “Mwangkongko” are edible and nutritious. She said that she never knew that these plants’ leaves could be eaten and only knew about “Te non” and “Te buka” leaves.

Since then, Titaa has been using the “Iaroo” and “Iamai and “mangkongko” leaves in her cooking. “Now I use these leaves in my stir-fry and soup recipes and my family always enjoy their meals.”

It was thrilling to Titaa to see her family enjoy her cooking without complaining: “My children are not very picky when it comes to food and whatever food I’m cooking, they always enjoy eating it.”

Titaa is very grateful now to know that she can always use green leaves in her cooking as she does not have to always buy them from the store but can just gather them from near her home.

“Providing balance and healthy diets for my family is not such a problem anymore as now I have more local leaves to use in my cooking.”