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 of Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs), traditional healers and community groups are currently underutilised, causing opportunities to identify, treat and prevent malnutrition to be missed. Furthermore, social and cultural norms often limit the support given to women, who lack access to the land, finance and training that would enable them to provide for their children.
In the Far West of Nepal, there is a lack of access to knowledge and training for malnutrition prevention at all stakeholder levels. In Bichhaya, 95% of people have never taken part in a nutrition workshop, with 34% of children falling under the category of Growth Promotion and Monitoring (GPM).
In order to prevent malnutrition in the future, the Start Strong Project will provide training on good nutritional practices to the wider community. Community-led activities will raise awareness of diet diversification and traditional healers will be provided with training on how to identify, treat and prevent malnutrition. Strengthening the role of women in the community is crucial in supporting mothers to give their children a strong start in life. Therefore, women will be provided with training and materials that will allow them to improve food security for their family’s future. The Start Strong project will support women by giving them the opportunity to develop their skills and provide a healthy and balanced diet for their entire family.
Dhandevi lives in Mugu with her daughter and husband. She recently began attending a Phase Farmers Group where she has learnt how to prepare nutritious food and discovered the importance of regular health check-ups for herself and her baby.
Give before 25th June 2021 and the UK Government will match all public donations. Help mother’s like Dhandevi to give their children a strong start to life.
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The Start Strong Project, match funded by the UK Government, has now been running for nine months and we’re excited to share our progress with you! Over the course of this three-year project, we are aiming to improve maternal health and reduce malnutrition amongst 1,000 vulnerable women and their children…
It has now been six months since the Start Strong Project, match funded by the UK Government, launched and we wanted to share an update on its progress to date! The Start Strong Project aims to improve maternal health and reduce malnutrition for 1,000 vulnerable women and their children in…
The Start Strong project, match funded by the UK Government, launched three months ago and we’re delighted to share with you an update on the activities delivered so far. The aim of the project is to improve maternal healthcare and reduce malnutrition amongst 1,000 vulnerable women and their children in…