In Koboko District, West Nile region, the total number of females aged 6-15 years not attending school stands at 5,727 (18.3%) and 1,124 (6.9%) females aged 12-17 years have given birth (National Population and Housing Census, 2014)
AFOD Uganda in collaboration with WFP Uganda is implementing an integrated Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme (TSFP), Maternal Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) and Maternal Infant Young Child Feeding practices (MIYCF) in Lobule in close collaboration with UNHCR, Ministry of Health, District Health Offices of Koboko and other partners to holistically deliver timely treatment of moderately malnourished children and Pregnant lactating Women through targeted supplementary feeding to address stunting among 06-23months and anemia using MCHN and IYCF
AFOD has been conducting referrals for ANC as the first point in the continuum of care for PLW, this approach is used to provide quality health education. Anita, a 17 year old Ugandan girl from Padrombu parish, Lobule sub-county, Koboko district tells a story of how the nutrition program has helped restore hope in her life.
‘‘While in P.6, I felt studies made very little sense to me since my performance had deteriorated. I was tired of being among the last performers in my class hence I decided to drop out of school at the age of 15 years. After 2 years at home, I got pregnant while at my father’s home. Little did I know that the man who made me pregnant was a close relative and also had another wife. When my father got to know about this, he was disappointed and picked me up from the man’s house. This caused me a lot stress but thank God my father was very understanding and accommodative to me.’
Anita further recaps, ”At 4 months of my pregnancy, I went for antenatal service at Lobule HC II where my MUAC was taken and I was found to be 21.6 cm below the recommended 23.0 cm mark hence I was told that I was malnourished. I was then enrolled on TSFP on the 12th October 2018 and given nutrition education”.
Within one month, I was told by the Nutrition Assistant at Lobule Health Center II that my MUAC had increased to 22.1cm”.
When asked about the benefit of the program, she said “Although I was in pain and scared of being pregnant at such a young age with no mother to advise me, AFOD has restored my hope through counseling and I can now live a happy life again. I have been advised not to miss my ANC appointments, practice kitchen gardening and ensure good feeding practices.
Caption: IYCF Officer with Anita during counseling
Credit: AFOD Nutrition Team
