By Lorraine Anyango.
Nutrition advocacy carried out by some 45 newly trained champions intending to have a malnutrition-free Kisumu, has started to bear fruits within the County.
The nutrition champion’s work is becoming even more important as members of the public are getting involved in nutrition matters within their communities as the targeted groups are gaining hearing and putting into practice what they are being advised on.
The nutrition champions trained through the USAID-funded Advancing Nutrition program assembled for a certificate award ceremony, but even more important are the narratives upon narratives of the nutrition-sensitive work being undertaken in the communities through their influence.
The nutrition champions were brought in to raise awareness and change negative attitudes and behavior related to nutrition and also help strengthen collaborations and advocacy initiatives.
“We now have a demonstration site for kitchen gardens at Faith Church in Kiboswa, we also have a breastfeeding corner in the same church allowing mothers a safe space to breastfeed their young ones.” Bishop Omwa one of the nutrition champions said.
In Nyando Sub County, about 432 residents are receiving Ksh 800 monthly and they are also given three packets of milk every fortnight in a bid to bridge the nutrition gap.
Their market now has a breastfeeding corner that awaits to be equipped with informational materials.
Some of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers now have individual volunteers as well as from the civil societies donating food items to the children after having learned that the first 1000 days are critical to the well-being and productiveness of a child. This has been through relentless advocacy by the champions.
Through the work of these champions spread across the seven sub-counties, in Kisumu East -Nyabera about 212 old people are receiving cash transfer from the National government through the social protecting department that is part of the Multi-sectoral nutrition platform.
A resident from Nyalunya and Gita areas have been sensitized, while parents from Romi Junior ECD and schools near Okok have also been sensitized.
The same sub-county has a student from Great Lakes University who is engaged in community dialogues every Thursday, and talk shows in the local dialect are being conducted to sensitize the locals on matters of nutrition.
The teachers have also been sensitized to provide for varied food groups to ensure the children take nutritious meals, in some schools, fish ponds have been set up and the harvest is used to feed the children.
Markets are settling aside rooms to set up breastfeeding corners for mothers that work in the same markets to encourage them to continue breastfeeding their children.
Several hotels have also been sensitized to create spaces for both breastfeeding mothers and staff working with them.
In the Seme sub-county, there have been eight community dialogue days on matters of nutrition. In the same region community health volunteers have referred about 10 vitamin A defaulters to facilities shear them. In the same areas champions have distributed about 20 bags to be used for harvesting to curb waste and at least 3 kitchen gardens have been set up.
In Muhoroni, schools BOG’s have been sensitized to sustain feeding programs initiated by the government. Parents are now bringing food kinds of stuff to schools among them cereal to maintain the feeding program.
All learners in Muhoroni have been de-wormed received and they have also received vitamin A supplements.
In Nyakach, hand-washing vessels have been distributed to schools, and a fish pond was set up at Kowire Primary school. The children now have a day within the week when they eat fish.
Apart from receiving certificates, as a build-up to their work, the champions were also given a booklet on ready advocacy messages to varied target groups. Such messages to policymakers include allocations of resources to activities that reduce stunting since a stunted population leads to a stunted economy.
The messages also call for the implementation of comprehensive nutrition services as part of the UHC services at all levels. The policymakers are also expected to implement coordination of MSN governance to increase gains in the reduction of stunting.
The message target groups include caregivers, policymakers, healthcare workers, Community health volunteers, ECD teachers, and agricultural officers.
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