Overcoming malnutrition and crafting healthy future for children: 750 mothers awarded
Malnutrition in childhood and pregnancy has many adverse consequences for child survival and long-term well-being. It also has far-reaching consequences for human capital, economic productivity, and national development overall.
Collective efforts are needed to overcome malnutrition, thus Savana Signatures in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ghana Health Service is implementing Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) activities to promote the consumption of fortified and locally available nutritious foods by the high-risk group as well as the entire population in the Sagnarigu Municipality. The intervention among other things contributes to the prevention of stunting and anaemia among children, pregnant and lactating mothers.
Awards Scheme
As part of strategies to sustain the gains of the programme, an award scheme was established to award mothers who met the six key conditions necessary to ensure the health of a child.
The six conditions included; good standing in immunization records (completed immunization for age), good utilization of services (3 months continuous redemption/routine health services), good nutritional outcome (adequate weight gain; at least 0.5kg for 3 continuous months), adequate knowledge about the Obaasima Seal (mention at least 1 food product with the Obaasima Seal), regular attendance to CWC (No month skipped) and adequate knowledge about care and feeding practices for infants and young children (answer at least 3 out of 5 IYCF/SBCC questions correctly).
The scheme targets mothers who are breastfeeding a baby between 6 and 23 months as well as being registered in the WFP food assistance programme.
750 Mothers Awarded
Together with officials from WFP and Ghana Health Service, 750 mothers were awarded for adhering to the six conditions. The awardees received branded flask and further educated on the need to stick to the conditions.
Alhassan Latifatu, a beneficiary from Gumani in the Saganarigu Municipality said, her children are healthy because she feeds them with food with the Obaasima symbol.
She added that the required food was given to her as part of the benefits she gets as a registered member of the WFP food assistance programme.
According to her, the neighbours keep questioning her about the food she gives to her children to keep them healthy always, hence she introduced them to a 4-star diet especially food with the Obaasima symbol.
“I recommend food with the Obaasima symbol and a 4-star diet to nursing and lactating mothers in feeding their children. This will help their children grow healthy,” she said.
Raphael McClure Adomey, the programme manager at Savana Signatures said, the awardees who have shown commitment in following the six key conditions and taking good care of their children will serve as pacesetters in their communities for other women to emulate.
He underscored that, with the support from the WFP, the initiative will help all mothers to overcome malnutrition and also contribute to a better and healthy future for the people of Sagnarigu Municipality.
He thanked the officials from WFP and GHS for their support, commitment and contribution.