Malnutrition among children under two years of age is one of the leading challenges to reducing global hunger and can cause lifelong harm to health, productivity and earning potential, according to the 2010 Global Hunger Index (GHI). The Index scores countries based on three equally weighted indicators: the proportion of people who are undernourished, the proportion of children under five who are underweight, and the child mortality rate. The biggest contributor to the global score is child under nutrition, which accounts for almost half of the score. Under this program, the organization has set up strategies to assist families fight against malnutrition, poor feeding related issues by sensitization the communities to engage on better methods of farming, improve on food production, dietary discipline among children under five years and pregnant women so as to end malnutrition in the Ugandan communities.
Team work afrika visited four districts of Kasese, Kabarole, Bunyangabu and Kyenjojo; identified more than 10 families affected by malnutrition and assisted only five house holds with improved seeds, treatment for the children, food supplements such as milk, vegetable, fruits and second clothes. More still the need is increasing arising from different climatic changes like flooding especially in the Kasese district and other neighboring areas.
Most children under the age of five in most parts of Africa are malnourished; this burden of child under-nutrition could be cut by 2020 to 25-36% by providing universal preventive health services and nutrition interventions for children under five and their mothers during pregnancy and lactation.“The health of women, specifically mothers, is crucial to reducing child malnutrition. Mothers who are poorly nourished and girls who give birth to underweight babies, perpetuating the cycle of under-nutrition”. Dietary discipline interventions should be targeted towards girls and women throughout the life cycle and especially as adolescents before they become pregnant.” Early life malnutrition is also associated with increased risk of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other non communicable diseases later in life.
Team work afrika is continuing to empower families by improving their house hold income through SEND A PIG PROJECT, engage stakeholders and other key players at the local and national levels to improve nutrition/ dietary discipline especially for infants and pregnant women (Mothers) to save the future generation.
Our advocacy campaign will continue, parents should practice better methods of farming to have enough food for their families, rare birds (poultry), grow vegetables to support their nutrition putting in mind the factors below-
• Getting the right amount of nutrients from health foods in the right combinations
• Making smart choices about the foods you eat, develop and maintain good health
• Having nutrition knowledge and making smart choices about the foods you eat can and will help you achieve optimum health over your lifetime, and be a key to avoiding obesity, illness, and many of today’s most prevalent chronic diseases, nutrition is just one key to developing and maintaining good health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being for a healthy mind, body, and spirit.
Team work afrika has been able to support 10 families each with A Pig to boost their income and be able to support their children with basic needs.