Burkina Faso/Combating malnutrition: World Vision launches integrated project for pregnant and breastfeeding women in Dédougou

On Wednesday October 2, 2024, in Dédougou, in the Boucle du Mouhoun region, the NGO World Vision and its partner UNICEF officially launched the "Implementation of the integrated nutrition package for adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women and children aged 0-59 months" project. Financed to the tune of 280 million CFA francs, the project will be implemented by the NGO World Vision in the Boucle du Mouhoun region (Banwa, Kossi, Balé, Sourou, Nayala, Mouhoun).

The "Implementation of an integrated nutrition package for adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women and children aged 0-59 months" project will be implemented by the NGO World Vision in the Boucle du Mouhoun region. It will run for one year (August 6, 2024 - August 5, 2025). According to UNICEF nutrition expert Aïssa Soumana, the project is being implemented as part of a multi-sectoral nutrition program targeting nearly a million children nationwide, 400,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, including some 350,000 children and 150,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in the Boucle du Mouhoun region. It is financed to the tune of 280 million CFA francs by UNICEF and its backers.

According to Ms. Soumana, programs like this not only combat malnutrition, but also lay the foundations for a healthier, stronger generation. All this will contribute to the country's growth and prosperity. "UNICEF is proud to support such an initiative. Through this project, we aim to prevent and treat malnutrition in children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, through micronutrient supplementation activities, malnutrition screening, etc.", she reassured.

For World Vision's Director of Operations, Richard Somé, this launch marks the start of a collective adventure towards sustainable improvement of the nutritional situation of children in our region. "Today, we're not just here to discuss numbers and targets. We're here to build a better future where every child can realize his or her full potential, where every family has access to the resources it needs," he declared, before adding: "we all know that the first two years of a child's life are crucial for their mental and physical development. Unfortunately, our region faces considerable challenges in terms of malnutrition". He concluded by underlining the collaboration of all stakeholders that will make this project a success. "I would like to thank UNICEF, which has placed its trust in us by mobilizing resources for this malnutrition prevention project," he concluded.

The province's high commissioner, Souleymane Nakanabo, pointed out that the government of Burkina Faso, with the support of its partners, is implementing several programs and projects in the nutrition sector to guarantee good nutrition for pregnant women, children and adolescents. He therefore welcomed the contribution of the NGO World Vision through the implementation of this project. "This project aims to change the behavior of the population, whether IDPs or host communities, in terms of optimal nutritional practices. I invite you to integrate it into your planning, so that in the long term, the expected results will be achieved", he urged.

Source: lefaso.net/