A rice-only diet starves the body and soul
Restoring dignity and identity through a package of seeds.
Imagine for a moment what life would be like if you could only eat one thing.
Perhaps you would pick only salads, or maybe just pizza, which doesn’t sound so bad. But what about plain rice? For many, like Rami Paharin, this is the reality.
To Rami, her Indian identity is everything. As a proud member of the Paharia (Malto) community, specifically the Kumar Bhag Paharia division, she comes from a tribe that once thrived in their region. However, severe poverty and malnutrition have now plagued them. Historically, they relied on nearby forest fruits, but today, Rami and her community depend on the Indian government’s Public Distribution System for food — which means they only eat rice.
The world we live in is broken, ridden with poverty and disconnects us from our God-given identities. For Rami, she longs for the way things used to be, before the changing climate made farming more arduous. The lack of a varied diet caused health complications for Rami and her family, and she was left feeling hopeless.
Seeing this community so consumed by food insecurity and malnutrition, Tearfund’s partner EFICOR stepped in. They assessed the land that Rami’s community lives on, searching for a solution to diversify the diets of these people who had nothing but mere grains of rice to live off of. To combat this, they introduced Kitchen Garden training to the Maltos. Using scientific methods, small gardens called “kitchen gardens” are used in dry areas to grow fruits and vegetables, allowing for a diversified diet.
For Rami, participating in this training changed everything. She was trained in these gardening practices and given seeds, allowing her to grow calabash (bottle gourds), long melons, and birdhouse gourds. She smiled as she expressed her immense gratitude to us, saying “I intend to enjoy a good lunch with them.” This practice is restoring dignity and identity within her community.
The impact of kitchen gardening on Rami’s life has been revolutionary. Not only has it improved her family’s nutrition, but it has also empowered her with the knowledge and skills to sustain their food security. The ability to grow her own vegetables has given Rami a sense of control and dignity, transforming her outlook on the future.
Thanks to donors like you, families like Rami’s are given not only nourishment for their bodies but food for their souls: hope. Through the local church, Tearfund is equipping those who are struggling to lift themselves out of poverty. Jesus not only fed the hungry but renewed dignity and valued their unique, God-given identity. He gives people hope and a future. Join us in loving as Jesus did through continual generosity and prayer for people like Rami.
