Mama Orpa’s Resilience in a Drought

In a small village in Kupang, West Timor  lives Mama Orpa, who spends her days in the hot sun weeding grass on her plot of land. Mama Orpa works alongside other farmers who work together to grow corn. One thing about Mama Orpa that has been consistent for many years is her resilience. At the same time, however, a new inconsistency has arisen: the changing environment. 

Mama Orpa is not only a farmer in her local farm group but the treasurer as well. Despite the fear amongst her fellow farmers about a changing rain pattern, Mama Orpa clearly states that she is not afraid. Regardless, the effects of the delayed and erratic rain have been unavoidable. “Usually we are overwhelmed by the amount of seeds but now some seeds do not grow because there is not enough rain. Caterpillar pest attacks are also high,” she explained. 

In her refusal to let fear consume her, Mama Orpa soon discovered a source of good fortune when she and her fellow farmers were invited to participate in CWS’ Timor Zero Hunger program. “We received training in corn cultivation, post-harvest processing and double-track planting patterns. As a result, the number of corn stands nearly doubled,” said Mama Orpa enthusiastically. 

Another valuable skill Mama Orpa and her fellow farmers learned was how to make organic fertilizer and pesticides from local ingredients. This has helped them reduce production costs without reducing crop yields. She has also learned how to take scraps from the produce and turn them into food for her pig. “This program has really helped us,” she stated. 

While showing off her corn plants that were vibrant green despite the rain scarcity, Mama Orma said, “I applied to my land what we have learned in this program and the results are like what we see together now.” Together we are seeing that Mama Orpa’s resilience and hard work have paid off. 

To learn more about programs in West Timor, click here.