NGOs promote nutrition in Nsanje
A consortium of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has launched a nutrition and livelihoods project in Nsanje District to reduce stunting among rural communities.
The NGOs, namely Foundation for Civic Education and Social Empowerment (Focese), Welt Hunger Hilfe, Civil Society Agriculture Network (CisaNet) and Tilitonse Foundation presented the project to Nsanje District Executive Committee (DEC) on Saturday.
Speaking during the presentation, Focese executive director Christy Banda, whose organisation is a lead implementer, said the project is targeting breastfeeding and pregnant mothers and sexually active girls.
She said: “As you know that Nsanje is a flood-prone area, so it is important to implement a nutrition and livelihoods project to empower communities whose food items and crops were washed away by floods.
“We are targeting 3 000 direct beneficiaries and 4 000 indirect ones in traditional authorities Mbenje, Tengani and Malemia.”
Banda said they will train the beneficiaries on how to manage backyard vegetable gardens as part of promoting the consumption of six food groups.
“We will also establish village savings and loans groups to promote a savings culture among communities,” she said.
One of the DEC members, Patrick Aluzioh asked the organisations to include some food crops such as maize, millet and sorghum in their component instead of just concentrating on vegetables.
In response, Focese Nsanje project officer Rodrick Katuka said plans were in the pipeline to review how they can address malnutrition in the district.
“Besides embracing other food crops, we are also planning to train women in livestock farming as you know that communities in Nsanje rear different kinds of livestock,” he said.
