Maternal and child nutrition continues to stand as a critical determinant of health and development in communities worldwide.
However, in many countries, including Mozambique, Ethiopia and Zambia, access to adequate nutrition remains a significant challenge, particularly for vulnerable populations. High rates of malnutrition among mothers and children not only jeopardize individual well-being—approximately, 70% of maternal deaths occur in Africa— but also impact social and economic progress in these countries.
We work to address maternal and child malnutrition through community-led approaches around the world. In partnership with local governments and organizations and trained community leaders and volunteers,our nutrition programs bring about transformative change, mobilizing communities to improve health outcomes and break the cycle of poverty and malnutrition.
Learn more about the ways we catalyze action and the impact it is having in communities.
Mozambique
In partnership with the local government, the Maculuve Epicenter health clinic offers nutrition counseling for expecting and postpartum mothers. It was through this service that Sônia learned that her daughter, Carvalia, had moderate acute malnutrition.
After diagnosing Cavalia, the clinic staff suggested Sônia participate in The Hunger Project’s nutrition program. Scared for her child’s health, Sônia was eager to learn more about nutrition. After attending several workshops and demonstrations, Sônia transformed her daughter’s diet with nutritious porridge recipes that leveraged locally grown ingredients. Today, Carvalia is thriving. Sônia is committed to sharing her knowledge with other families facing similar challenges, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and support within her community.
Zambia
Across the border in Zambia, we have trained 120 community leaders, or animators, in holistic efforts to combat malnutrition and improve maternal nutrition. These trainings focus on key nutrition actions aimed at promoting healthy practices within communities. We host cooking demonstrations at the epicenters where mothers learn how to prepare nutritious meals using locally available and culturally significant foods. Each woman contributes ingredients and meals are prepared collaboratively, allowing everyone to taste a variety of nutritious dishes. This grassroots approach fosters community engagement and mobilizes women to prioritize maternal and child nutrition for healthier families and brighter futures.
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, through programs like Right2Grow—a consortium of international non-governmental organizations, including The Hunger Project, and over forty-five local civil society groups—we are working with communities to ensure that all children under five receive adequate nutrition to thrive and reach their full potential. Since March 2021, we have been working with our partners at World Vision and community members in the Gurage Zone of the Central Ethiopia Region to foster dialogue between community members and government stakeholders to improve service delivery and address undernutrition comprehensively.
Esatu, a father from the area, is particularly grateful for the way the advocacy training has supported the development in his community.
[The training] plays the leading role in creating strong bonds among our community and the administrative body. There was no such a platform for discussion before. But now, not only me, my neighbors are aware of how to communicate with their administrators.
Esatu, Program Participant
Esatu noted that his community is now investing in nutrition and appreciates the value of nutrition interventions in the first 1000 days of a child’s life. He and his family now have a garden where they grow a variety of vegetables and they care for livestock in their backyard. “In doing so, we are able to improve our regular intake of food, standard of child feeding and maternal health and nutrition.”
These community-led actions have led to tangible improvements in food security and maternal health across all the districts and regions we work in.
To learn more and get involved in our initiative to shed light on maternal nutrition, visit worldhungerday.org
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Images: A local woman leader sharing about nutrition in her community in Mozambique, 2023 © The Hunger Project
