NGO trains Bauchi women on healthy diet, exclusive breastfeeding

By Rauf Oyewole

A non-governmental organisation, CARE Nigeria has trained women in Bauchi communities on promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and healthy diet. 

The organisation in partnership with CARE Nigeria, through its project, Catalizing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diet and Resilience (CASCADE) being implemented by GAIN and Development Exchange Centre (DEC) with funding from the Ministry Foreign Affairs of Netherlands mobilise women in the grassroots to enlighten them on the benefits of accessing antenatal care, early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding and immunisation to achieve good health. 

The women were trained on backyard farming of nutritional crops like red-flesh potatoes, soya beans, vegetable, tomato and others. 

Ann Alberta, the Gender Technical Officer of the Cascade project, explained that CASCADE project targets women of reproductive age of 15-49 and children under 15 to be resilient and access good health care particularly during pregnancy and postnatal.

She said that the organisation has been on monthly awareness on gender equality, human rights, women empowerment and MYCIN. “In this political landscape, we found out cultural and social norms impede on women's rights, so having the enlightenment with community stakeholders –who are majorly men - be aware of some of these norms that hinder women from excelling,” she said.

She encouraged men to allow women own farmlands to produce nutritional food for households and commercial use. 

Also, Hannah Ishaku, Health and Nutrition Technical Officer for DEC/Cascade project, said that the organisations are championing welfare of maternal, infants and child. “We are encouraging them to embrace exclusive breastfeeding for six months and initiation,” she said.

The NGO is reaching out to hundreds of women in 20 communities monthly for sensitisation and enlightenment. According to the NGO, CASCADE is being implemented in Nasarawa, Bauchi, Jigawa and Kebbi states.