By Chikondi Basikolo
World Relief Malawi has registered progress in Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Project which it was implementing in Lilongwe, aimed at reducing stunting.
Speaking during a District Nutrition Coordination Committee (DNCC) joint monitoring visit in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Malili, Project Coordinator for SUN in Lilongwe, Benson Thomas said the project has helped promote sanitation and hygiene in the 16 TAs where it was being implemented.
Thomas added that communities have been encouraged to practice integrated homestead farming including opening backyard gardens and keeping small livestock.
“Before the project started, 7.8 per cent of households had hand washing facilities near toilets but now the monthly care group data of January 2020 indicates that 55.40 per cent have hand washing facilities and 58,887 households have backyard gardens,” he said.
The Project Coordinator said the project has various components which include promotion of optimal complementary feed, optimal breast feeding, optimal maternal nutrition practices and screening six to 59 months children for malnutrition.
One of the beneficiaries, Madalitso Gabriel at Masinjang’ombe village in the area of TA Malili, said he was encouraged, through the project, to open a backyard garden which is a source of vegetables for his household.
The Project receives financial support from KFW through UNICEF and is implemented by World Relief Malawi on behalf of Government.
