26 Mar 21
Mountain life may be beautiful in Nepal, but it is one of the most challenging environments for a mother to give birth to a baby and raise a child safely. Access to maternal healthcare in the Far West of Nepal is limited, with women often having to travel long distances in order to seek support in times of emergency. With access to child and maternal health services, the Start Strong project aims to ensure that children in these communities have a happy, healthy, safe and strong start to life.
Read More about Maternal Healthcare
In Nepal, women are the foundation of family life, responsible for both their children and land. However, due to a patriarchal society in rural areas, women are often excluded from agricultural training and resources. The Start Strong project will work closely with women, improving their agricultural practices to increase diet diversification and reduce malnutrition within their community. By supporting female farmers and providing them with access to training and materials, the Start Strong project will ensure that these mothers can give their children a strong start to life.
In many of the villages we work in, less than 20% of the population have a secure food supply all year round. This causes high levels of malnutrition, exacerbates the problems of existing disease and contributes to high rates of infant mortality. In order to prevent malnutrition amongst women and children in the Far West of Nepal, the Start Strong project will provide training on good nutritional practices and run community-led activities in order to raise awareness of diet diversification. We believe that all children, regardless of where they live, deserve to feel happy and healthy.
Dhandevi lives in Mugu with her husband and daughter. Her family is actively involved in agriculture and Dhandevi recently became a member of the Mugu Livelihood Phase Farmers Group. Here,…
Limited community knowledge of maternal healthcare and good nutrition has contributed to high rates of malnutrition in the Far West of Nepal. Rates of global acute malnutrition (GAM) above 10% are considered as a high concern. The area in which the Start Strong Project is based, experiences rates of 19%. Networks…
Farming is the main livelihood activity for 66% of people in Nepal and is crucial for remote rural communities. Being able to grow good yields of nutritious food enables farmers to feed their families well and increase economic independence by selling to others. However, challenging farming conditions and an unpredictable climate results…
Mountainous areas of Nepal offer many challenges for the delivery of primary healthcare. Many villages are very difficult to reach and are not accessible by road. These areas are often affected by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, landslides and flooding due to monsoon rains. Weak healthcare structures and operational challenges in remote areas has…