My name is Nanki, and I am 31 years old. I live in a small, remote village with my family. We have always struggled to make ends meet, and our economic condition is not so good. Our biggest concern is that we are not able to eat healthy food, which has been affecting our health for a long time. One day, I was approached by a team from RSKS India during a baseline survey. They selected me for their Kitchen Garden Support to Marginal Farmers Program after hearing and watching my problems. They then came after some days and then distributed seeds and fertilizers to me for free and told me about the importance of having a kitchen garden. They explained how having a kitchen garden could provide nutrition to my family and also support us in our livelihoods.

I was excited about this opportunity and decided to take advantage of it. I began to plant the seeds and take care of the plants with the help of my family. We started with some basic vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, and cabbage, and soon we had a flourishing kitchen garden. Not only did the kitchen garden provide us with fresh, healthy produce, but it also helped us save money on groceries. We no longer had to rely on expensive produce from the market, which had been a major expense for us. Additionally, we were able to sell some of the extra produce in the market, which helped us earn some extra income.

I noticed a significant improvement in our health after we started consuming fresh vegetables from our kitchen garden. Our family’s immunity improved, and we were no longer falling ill as frequently as before. I also noticed that our children were performing better in school because they were healthier and more energetic. The kitchen garden has become a part of our daily routine, and we take great pride in it. It has not only helped us improve our health but has also empowered us economically. We are grateful to RSKS India for introducing us to this program and providing us with the resources to start our own kitchen garden.