By: Rose Mukagahizi
Parents in Kansi Sector, Gisagara District, say their understanding of balanced diets has significantly improved following nutrition education provided through the Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Food Security Project II (SAIP II).
Some parents say they previously struggled to provide their children with balanced meals, largely because they lacked adequate knowledge about nutrition. Through SAIP II, they have learned how to prepare nutritious meals using locally available foods, while also improving hygiene practices in their homes.
SAIP II is implemented by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) through its Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU).
Uwiyubashye Claudine, a resident of Kansi Sector, said she previously focused mainly on making sure her child had enough food to eat, without paying much attention to whether the meal contained all the nutrients the child needed.
“Before, I did not understand what a balanced diet really meant. I would often cook beans and sweet potatoes every day. My main concern was simply making sure my child was full,” she said.
That changed after she started attending cooking sessions organised at the village level, where parents are taught how to combine different types of food to provide a balanced meal.
“We now understand that a balanced diet should include foods that build the body, protect it from diseases and provide energy,” Uwiyubashye explained. “We were also given laying hens.”
She said parents are taught practical ways of preparing nutritious meals using foods they can easily access. A typical meal, for example, can include sweet potatoes or bananas, vegetables, beans and an egg.
The sessions also place strong emphasis on hygiene, including washing hands before preparing food and keeping cooking utensils, kitchens and eating areas clean.
For Uwiyubashye, the lessons have made a visible difference in her family. She said one of her children had previously suffered from malnutrition, but the child’s condition improved after she started applying what she had learned about nutrition and hygiene.
“Before learning how to prepare a balanced diet, I would take my child for regular check-ups and sometimes see very little improvement in weight,” she said. “After changing the way I prepare meals, I started seeing progress. I now make sure my child eats eggs and fruits as part of the diet.”
She added that the laying hens she received have made eggs more accessible to her family.
Another Kansi resident, Mukeshimana Emerita, received four chickens through SAIP II. She says the support has helped her improve her children’s diet while also giving her an opportunity to earn some income by selling eggs.
“There has been a real change in my children’s diet because they can now eat an egg every day,” Mukeshimana said. “Before, I had to look for money to buy eggs, and sometimes I could not even find where to get them.”
Uwizeye Divine, who is in charge of nutrition at Kansi Health Centre, said Kansi Sector had recorded relatively high levels of malnutrition among children compared with other sectors. However, she said progress is being made, with more children recovering from malnutrition.
Evode Imanimurinde, a Nutrition Specialist with RAB-SPIU, said SAIP II mainly supports vulnerable households, particularly those with children under the age of five, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women.
He explained that supporting a household does not necessarily mean that a child in that family is already suffering from malnutrition. The project also focuses on prevention, helping families acquire the knowledge and resources they need to keep children healthy and prevent malnutrition before it occurs.
Gisagara District Mayor Rutaburingoga Jerome praised SAIP II and RAB-SPIU for their contribution to improving nutrition, agriculture and livestock farming in the district.
“We appreciate SAIP II, in partnership with RAB-SPIU, for supporting our residents in agriculture and livestock farming and contributing to the fight against malnutrition,” Rutaburingoga said.
According to the Mayor, 10,800 chickens were initially distributed through the initiative, and their number has since grown to nearly 100,000. Chicken shelters were also provided, while 32,160 mushroom units were distributed to 2,146 households and chickens were provided to 2,700 households.
The initiative also distributed four tonnes of improved bean seeds and more than 400,000 sweet potato vines to support households in strengthening food production and nutrition.
Rutaburingoga encouraged residents to protect and build on the progress already achieved so that families can continue improving their livelihoods even after the project comes to an end.
