“Empowering Communities: The unstoppable Atimaku Beatrice”

Atimaku Beatrice, a 38-year-old mother of six, balances multiple leadership roles in her community in Esia central village, Adjumani District. As a second wife, she’s proved herself trustworthy, earning five key leaders roles as a women mentor, Village Health Team member, treasurer of Local Council one, Chairperson of the God is Good saving group, and member of Community Resource Persons (CRP) under the CASCADE project. Atimaku attributes her success to her honesty and community trust. “I was appointed because they knew I’d do a good job,” she says. Her husband supports her work, saying, “We discussed it, and he’s okay with it.” As a Community Resource Person and Village Health Team member, Atimaku educates her community on nutrition and conducts home visits and referrals of malnutrition cases. MIYCAN training through the CASCDAE project’s boosted her skills, enabling her to promote Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) usage. With government-supplied MUAC tapes, mothers in her community monitor health status of the children which has led to reeducation in cases of malnutrition. “In the last six months, no cases in my village,” she reports. Atimaku highlights progress in joint household decisions on crops plantation and nutrition behaviors, but notes resistance from some men. “My husband says if he helps me, his other wives will expect the same,” she laughs, acknowledging the work ahead.