Esther Phiri, who is 30 years old, has witnessed women from Chiphaka Village in Nkhotakota district renting their undernourished children to those seeking aid from NGOs and other well-wishers.
In this village, according to Phiri, having a malnourished child was a source of charity and also a business opportunity.
“There were many malnourished children and breastfeeding mothers then. For many, it was about the benefits when they have such children,” she said.
Thanks to a nutrition project called Afikepo, which aimed to build the capacity of various nutrition structures at both local and district levels to reduce malnutrition and stunting, the system began to change when Phiri was getting married.
The project was funded by the European Union through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Unicef and was launched in 2017.
It is a multi-sectoral initiative that integrates agriculture, health, and nutrition activities to address the issue of food and nutrition insecurity and undernutrition.
Through the Afikepo project, Phiri and others learned how to implement measures that increase the availability, access, and utilization of diversified foods at the household level.
This would result in improved dietary consumption of diversified, safe, and nutritious foods among women of childbearing age, adolescent girls, infants, and young children, particularly under the age of two.
“Prior to the Afikepo project, our living conditions were very different. We did not have backyard gardens to cultivate crops, and we lacked proper toilets and struggled with hygiene. Additionally, we relied on traditional cooking methods that consumed a lot of firewood.
“However, thanks to the project, we were able to adapt to new lifestyles. We now have backyard gardens that allow us to grow crops for our daily use. We also raise chickens for our meals and have cleaner living spaces, all thanks to Afikepo,” said Phiri, who is under Kazanga section.
As she speaks, she gazes at her newborn twins with a grin. At just a month and three weeks old, the two bouncing baby girls are growing at a pace that outstrips their age. They are healthy and growing quickly.
“It’s all because of the project. We are now capable of having six food groups at home. We are all living a healthy life,” said Phiri, who is married and has four children.
For the past two years, she said, the village has not recorded any malnourished children.
Kazanga Section is located under Ntosa Extension Planning Areas (EPA) in the district.
According to the Ntosa EPA agricultural extension development officer (AEDO) Nancy Namanja, through the project, malnutrition levels in the area have decreased from 40 percent to about 10 percent.
“Most households prepare six food groups besides practicing enhanced exclusive child breastfeeding,” she added.
The EPA has 31 promoters and 61 care groups.
As Afikepo project comes to a close this month, Namanja believes that a lot has been accomplished in promoting coordination among nutrition structures.
“People will be able to maintain what they have learned so far since almost everyone has seen the impact that exists,” she added.
