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NGOs reduce malnutrition in Lilongwe

Oxfam and Catholic Health Commission (CHC) have fought malnutrition in Traditional Authority (T/A) Chitekwere in Lilongwe since 2016, reducing the number of malnourished children from 124 to 35.

The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are implementing a Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) Project.

Home made gardens such as these supplement nutrition

In his remarks, Oxfam livelihoods resilience programme manager Steve Kuliyazi said the project seeks to empower communities to be able to locally produce and prepare right food groups.

He said this during an inspection visit to the project by officials from the National Authorisation Office (NAO) Support Unit on Tuesday.

“We encourage households to own home gardens and cultivate various types of vegetables and fruits and practise hygiene at household and community level to enhance the six food group diets,” Kuliyazi said.

NAO Nutrition and Food Security Sector programme manager Lucy Maseko said the results of the project reflect the plans.

“I am happy that what started as a dream has turned into reality. I thank the communities for embracing the project,” she said.

Group village head Sagawa said the project succeeded because both men and women committed themselves to it.

Chitekwere II Catchment Area health surveillance assistant Charles Mun’deranji said communities lacked knowledge on balancing of local foods, “but with the project things have changed”.

The project is funded by European Union.

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