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Kenyan mothers teach each other good nutrition practices

by Lydia Ndungu, World Vision Kenya | European Commission
Thursday, 6 November 2014 17:20 GMT

* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Eating a diverse diet and ensuring regular meals reduce the risk of stunting growth and malnutrition. Most pastoralist communities depend on milk as the main complementary meal for young children. As a result young children in these communities are at an increased risk of malnutrition and stunting.

One such community is the Samburu in the arid north central Kenya. World Vision together with the Ministry of Health is boosting nutrition in this County, with funding from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) given through UNICEF.

In order to improve infant and young child feeding practices among the Samburu people, a mother-to-mother support group was established as a means of imparting best feeding practices. The group, named Majeiyo, has been taught several ways of increasing access to nutritious foods. One of them is kitchen gardening.

After joining Majeiyo women group, I learnt that I could grow and eat vegetables and fruits from my own garden instead of having to buy from others. Since joining the group, my children eat well and I can help my husband support our family,” a member of the Majeiyo mothers support group says.

Majeiyo group is composed of fourteen mothers, ten youthful girls and four men making a total of 28 members. The group started humbly by cultivating in other farmers’ gardens for income and later one of the members offered a half-acre piece of land located near a water source for collective cultivation. With support from World Vision, the group started growing vegetables such as kale and tomatoes and fruits which they sold in the local market.

Christine Lelesit, the Secretary to the group and a mother of three says that the noticeable improvements in the lives of the members have given them the motivation to carry on.

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