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Activity Report: Benin
In the village of Gbeto, of the southern region od Atlanticue, training food processing and literacy classes are organized. A community group, mostly including women, has been empowered to improve their incom.
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Report
Basic survey on maternal and child nutrition carried out in Gbeto village.
In order to move forward with projects concerning hygiene and nutrition improvement, HFW conducted a basic nutrition survey in June, 2007. Specialists such as doctors, nurses and statisticians worked alongside the teachers at the HFW-operated kindergarten and adult literacy classes, members of the secondary school PTA, and youth representatives among others. By incorporating local citizens into the project from the survey stage, we hope the results of the study will be used effectively in future endeavors.
The study was conducted on children under five years of age and mothers, with participants totaling 962 people. Subjects covered include health and nutritional condition, local conditions such as accessibility to medical facilities, and household statistics like income and state of hygiene. The results showed that 15.6% of children are at risk for malnutrition, the chronic nature of which could be traced to two factors.
The first is the condition of the food supply. Through the research it was discovered that most children ate from the same plate as their mothers. Three out of five mothers were only eating one meal a day. A diet of one meal a day does not supply the necessary nutrition needed for a childfs growth. Sixty percent of children of chronically malnourished mothers were born underweight.
The other cause noted is the lack of availability of accessible medical care. One in five of the children surveyed had experienced symptoms of diarrhea in the past week, but not a single one of the children received treatment at a medical facility. Also, over half of the children had not received vaccinations. The closest public health center is 8-9km away, and the resulting difficulty of accessing medical care appears to be a major contributing factor to chronic malnutrition.
It is not the case that all of Gbeto village is experiencing a shortage of food. However, the study revealed that most residents are not getting the necessary nutrition at the needed times. Traditionally in Benin, males in the family eat meals first. But in order for children to grow up healthily, adequate nutrition and appropriate timing of meals is indispensable.
The results of the study highlighted the need for the provision of medical facilities, and, by means of the literacy classes, schools and kindergartens, increased efforts to raise awareness of nutrition and hygiene maintenance.
(2009.3)
Undernourished children. |
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Report of July 2004 >>
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List of development projects: Benin 2004-2007 iProject name^Target group, numberj
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Past Field Reports; Benin iProject name^Target group, numberj
- Diary of HFW Head Office Staff^July 2006
- Power of Art in community development^December 2005
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