PACHI intensifies community structures linkages to nutrition

As a way of working towards improving the nutrition status of women of reproductive age and boys and girls under 5 in Malawi through delivering nutrition education massages to households; on 16th March, 2018, PACHI through Southern Africa Nutrition Initiative (SANI) project conducted community review meetings with community volunteers in Traditional Authorities Kalumo and Kasakula in Ntchisi district.

The meetings were conducted in all the traditional authorities the project is being implemented (Kasakula and Kalumo), and involved the community structures that the project are working with in fight against malnutrition. These structures include, Care groups through care group promoters, Farmer clubs through Lead farmers and Village Savings and Loans Association through Village agents. In attendance were also Ministry of Health represented by Health Surveillance Assistants (HSA) and Ministry of Agriculture represented by Agriculture Extension and Development Officer (AEDO).

The SANI project works with these structures and the government in nutrition sensitive activities and nutrition specific activities in a bid to improve nutrition status of women of reproductive age and boys and girls under 5.

According to Angella M’bawa, PACHI field officer responsible for part of Kalumo area; the meetings were conducted to bring together volunteers from different sectors to make them understand the role each plays in achieving the project goal and how these structures integrate in their work on nutrition. In this meeting volunteers were brought together.

volunteers

Participants (Volunteers) during the meeting

The meetings which are conducted quarterly are expected to improve service delivery by the community volunteers to the households and improve the link between different volunteer sectors towards improving nutrition in the communities through structure integration in service delivery.

Ntchisi district hospital Senior Health Surveillance assistant, Jickson Chindungwa commended SANI project for working in collaboration with so many   stakeholders and in the strengthening of interlinkages with all the nutrition players on the ground so as to improve nutrition status of households in TA Kalumo.

The participants raised a number of achievements for their respective groups in the communities which among other was increased number of pregnant women and under 5 children attending to growth monitoring sessions and care group meetings where they get nutrition education.

In his remarks Andrew Kamoto, Senior Health Surveillance Assistant applauded PACHI for bringing volunteers from all community structures (care groups, village saving groups and farm clubs) it is working with together. “This will enhance close working relationship amongst volunteers as they are familiarizing with each other” he added.

andrew-kamoto

Andrew Kamoto, Senior Health Surveillance Assistant

PACHI is implementing the Southern Africa Nutrition Initiative in Ntchisi and Dowa with support from the Canadian Governement through  Care Malawi.