Nutrition and access to Education

projekt beendet

ContextSince 1994, Malawi has provided free access to primary education and the country has a relatively high enrolment rate. However, repetition and drop-out rates also remain extremely high. Among other factors, this is a consequence of the poverty that affects many Malawian families, which often results in children suffering chronic malnutrition and hunger, even before they enter school. Besides poverty, a lack of understanding about a balanced diet also contributes to malnutrition. This has an adverse impact on children’s schooling when the already chronic deficits, exacerbated by a lack of morning meals, undermine their successful participation in classes. Undernourished and malnourished children fall sick more often, and miss more classes as a result. Their frequent absenteeism becomes a reason to drop out of school.In 2009, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology established a Department of School Health and Nutrition (DSHN), and launched the National School Health and Nutrition Strategic Plan, with corresponding guidelines for implementation in the period to 2018.Overall objectiveThe nutritional health of pupils at primary schools in Malawi, and their participation in lessons have improved.ApproachIn line with the National School Health and Nutrition Strategic Plan and the guidelines for its implementation, the GIZ project is supporting the Malawian education ministry in building up local capacities for delivering school nutrition.School meals.The project promotes the self-reliant production of basic foodstuffs by local communities. This involves support for the local authorities in the collective cultivation of fields near to the schools, and in preparing the schools meals. Known as ‘home-grown school meals’, this approach increases the willingness of the school communities to mobilise their own resources in order to develop a sustainable school nutrition programme. Non-governmental organisations contracted by the project provide ongoing support in the schools and communities.Management of school nutrition.The project is supporting the introduction of coordinators for school health and nutrition, who will play a key role at different levels throughout the district. It assists the coordinators in planning and implementing the home-grown school meals programme, which currently reaches more than 600 primary schools throughout Malawi. The project provides management training for staff members at national and district levels, and promotes the sharing of knowledge and experiences.Nutrition education.Schools and communities benefit from nutrition education courses, which enable them to make informed decisions about the best ways of diversifying eating patterns. Education materials are collectively developed and distributed. An interactive weekly radio programme (‘Nzeru Nkudya’) is aired nationwide to raise awareness on healthy nutrition and home-grown school meals. Listeners’ clubs spread the nutritional messages and start discussions in the communities.The consulting firm GOPA Consultants is working with GIZ to implement the project.Impact and successesThe schools and communities involved in the project have taken ownership of their school meals programmes. One result of this has been a 70 per cent increase in the amount of land made available to the schools for crop cultivation. The project encourages the production of diverse crops, including sweet potatoes, ground nuts, cassava, various legumes and rice. This led to a doubling in the diversity of crops grown in 2014-15, compared to the previous year.The village communities have provided labour and materials for the construction of storerooms and kitchens, while the project supplied any other necessary inputs. By April 2015, 27 of the 40 schools had finished building storerooms and kitchens, and they now use fuel-efficient stoves. Of these, 24 schools have started preparing meals for pupils.Nutrition education materials have been distributed to the village communities. The first broadcast of the radio programme ‘Nzeru Nkudya’ took place in December 2014; today it reaches an audience of over two million households.

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