Care Group Training Improves the Confidence of Members To Improve Health of Children
Rebecca Nondo is a mother of three living in the Mangwe District of Zimbabwe, where year-round access to food is limited. In the Matabeleland South province, where Mangwe is located, 44% of the population experiences food insecurity during the peak hunger period of February to March. In addition, 2.8% of children under five in Mangwe experience acute malnutrition. The USAID-funded Amalima program aims to improve the food security of households in the Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe by providing a monthly ration of corn-soy blend and fortified vegetable oil to beneficiaries like Nondo. Pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under two are eligible to receive the supplementary ration as part of the program’s efforts to reduce stunting and malnutrition during the first 1,000 days of a child’s development.
Amalima also promotes improved maternal and child health, as well as improved nutrition through Care Groups—community-level meetings led by a trained volunteer and attended regularly by eight to ten caregivers to discuss issues including infant and young child feeding practices, the importance of antenatal care visits, exclusive breastfeeding infants during the first six months of life, supplementary feeding for children six to 24 months, and types of locally-available, nutrient-rich foods that are part of a healthy diet.
Rebecca decided to join her local Care Group after being approached by a Care Group volunteer at an Amalima distribution event. She was pregnant with her third child and had never received formal instructions about how to raise a healthy baby. She was especially interested in learning about proper feeding practices for her young children of varying ages. This was a particular point of stress for Rebecca; she didn’t feel confident about what type of food was best to provide or the right portion size for a meal.
Through participation in Care Group activities, Nondo learned about meal preparation and feeding schedules for her children. She frequently used the Amalima recipe book, which was created to help caregivers prepare diverse and nutritious meals for their families. The recipes feature locally available vegetables, which she sources mostly from her home garden. Recipes also specify preparation times, quantities of individual ingredients needed, and how much each recipe will produce.
Nondo’s participation in the Care Group has impacted the whole family. Her father-in-law, Luke Ndolvu, has become an advocate for her participation in the Care Group because he clearly recognizes the improvement in her ability to care for and respond to the needs of her children. While explaining the impact of the Care Group, he said, “If a child is not well, [she] now knows how to respond.” Gloria Dube, Nondo’s Care Group leader, makes regular home visits to the household where she works with the other family members as well to encourage the adoption of new, improved health practices that as easily implemented at home. Ndolvu now also feels capable of caring for the children when Nondo is away. Nondo’s cousin has even applied some of the practices to her own family to raise healthier children.
