Some community members in Nkhotakota district have applauded the UNICEF implemented project, Afikepo for transforming nutrition status of their homes.
The project seeks to address chronic nutrition in Malawi by supporting the increase and diversification of dietary intake of safe and nutritious foods to achieve optimal nutrition for women of childbearing age, adolescent girls, infants and young children.
Esther Phiri breastfeeding her baby
Esther Phiri, a twin mother from the area of Traditional Authority Mwadzama in the district has told reporters that the project has provided her with knowledge of preparing balanced diet for her family.
“I am health enough now that I am also able to breastfeed my children properly”, says Phiri
“Through the project, I have been taught of six food groups I am able to include whenever I am preparing meal”, she adds.
She was speaking this when members of the press were tracking progress of the project which was also being implemented in Chitipa, Karonga, Mzimba, Nkhatabay, Kasungu and Salima districts.
Phiri said apart from keeping her body healthier and stronger through the well-prepared meal, her family members are also beneficiaries. She says they are free from nutrition related diseases, among others.
The five year project is reported to have reduced malnutrition rate from 30% in 2017 to 10% in 2022 in areas that are under Mtosa Extension Planning Area (EPA).
Agriculture Extension Development Officer at Mtosa EPA, Nancy Namanja says postive strides made are as a result of collaboration with members of community and their adherence to given instructions.
“Apart from eating balanced diets, these people also practice good hygiene practices in their homes hence this postive results”, she said.
Meanwhile, Namanja has assured funder that what people have learnt will be sustained and keep their community health.
The AFIKEPO project is funded by European Union (EU) through Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and UNICEF.
