Bahoneza – Kinyarwanda, Rwanda Welfare, Social Welfare, Rwanda People, Nutrition and Diet, Rwanda Habitat, Living in Kigali

Residents in Bugesera district particularly parents are encouraged to feed their children food that contains vitamins for better growth and fighting malnutrition.

This was resolved at Nyamata health centre where parents come for advice on how to prepare balanced diet.

Some of the children brought at the health centre

Jeanne Mukamusoni, a nurse at Nyamata Health Centre says that most residents have not yet understood how to make a balanced diet.

“They think balanced diet is chips, rice, meat and others which they give to their children especially after weaning at a young age,” Mukamusoni narrates.

She adds that after weaning, children are likely to suffer from malnutrition and shows symptoms if they not

Mukamusoni urges parents to give their children balanced diet from the available food in their gardens like Irish potatoes, beans, cassava and others.

Vegetables of every type should be given to children to fight malnutrition, Mukamusoni explains.

Meat is among the foods that build the body but since it cannot be afforded by all parents, but soya, g. nuts and eggs can replace them.

Mukamusoni stresses that soya flour, millet flour; maize flour and wheat make delicious porridge and good for children and grownups in fighting malnutrition.

She advises parents to use family planning and space children because children need enough time of breast milk that has many nutrients.

A balanced diet meal should comprise all kinds of food that provide nutrients that a body needs at a go.

According to Dr. Alfred Rutagengwa the director of ADEPR hospital in Nyamata, a good meal should compose foods from all 7 kinds of nutrients needed by the body.

The first kind is fruits and vegetables which are rich in vitamins and which are very important in a person’s body especially protecting a person against diseases.

The second kind is cereals, Irish potatoes which are also rich in nutrients and can replace other foods and be desirable.

Fatty foods and daily products are also good for the body; sugary foods are also needed for a body to function well and should be part of a balanced diet.

Dr. Rutagengwa went on to explain that there are parts of the body that need sugar so as to operate like the brain that need sugar for strength to keep on working.

“meat, eggs, fish also make a balanced meal as they provide body building nutrients and it is better if one uses white meat instead of red meat like chicken, fish and others.” He said.

Milk, fruits and vegetables

Kabgayi Hospital nutritionist has said that residents in Rwanda and other developing countries eat food for satisfaction rather than essential vitamins that the bodies derive from different foods.

Eating big quantities of food than a well balanced diet has been the leading cause of many diseases among which malnutrition is inclusive, asserts Immaculée Nyiravugimana a nutritionist at Kabgayi Hospital.

However, malnutrition is caused by little knowledge on what a well balanced diet is or how to prepare one and poverty to some who cannot afford to get milk, eggs and meat among others.

Residents with malnutrition problems blame it on the poverty saying that balanced diet is for urban people who can afford expensive food stuffs.

Jeanne Mukamana, a mother of five and a resident of Mushishiro sector in Muhanga district lamented: “well balanced diet is for the people in towns. It’s where you can get rice and others but here; it is a matter of getting what satisfies your children”

Sometimes, it becomes necessary that we sell the little milk we get, vegetables and eggs in order to get money for some home necessities, Jeanne Mukamana reveals.

While rural people think that urban fellows are very much informed about eating balanced foods to fight malnutrition, some town dwellers confess to know little or nothing about the issue.

Uwamahoro, Muhanga town resident revealed: “To me a balanced diet is eating well cooked food like chips, meat and other foods that only rich people can afford.”

Controversially, Immaculée Nyiravugimana a nutritionist at Kabgayi Hospital emphasises that eating right does not require one to be rich like how rural people stretch.

« Its only that most residents are ignorant about preparing this important meal. There are few people who cannot afford Indagala yet they equate to eating meat. Even little milk a day helps but these people focus on eating plenty food, » Immaculée Nyiravugimana discloses.

Up to now, there are still malnutrition cases in different villages in Rwanda. In the campaign to fight malnutrition, it is vital that all residents should be sensitised on preparing a well balanced diet for the good health of Rwandese in general.

Clothilde Nyiraneza giving milk and food to children

Ngororero district has urged residents to give milk and balanced diet to their children in order to fight malnutrition.

After representatives from the ministry of agriculture visited Ngororero in malnutrition fighting campaign,the district has gone ahead to create awareness about malnutrition and its consequences.

“Good health is the source of wealth. Feed your children well, with a balanced diet and disease won’t be a threat anymore,” urged Clothilde Nyiraneza, Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, Ngororero District.

The ongoing campaign encourages parents to feed children on whole foods like milk, eggs and fruits.

According to a study, milk fights malnutrition because it’s rich in protein, mineral salts, fats, Vitamin A and B12, calcium and iron.

“If milk is not enough, leave it for children because they need it more than the grownups,” advised Nyiraneza.

Nyiraneza called upon families to provide at least one cup of milk to each child every day, because one cup of milk equals to 40% of protein, 35% of calcium, almost 70% of vitamin B12 and 14% of energy.

The programme to promote good health through proper feeding was launched by Prime Minister Pierre Habumuremyi.

Ministry of health, agriculture, Local government and Nongovernmental organizations like UNICEF are partners as well.

Sylverie Nyirahabimana from Kinyababa sector in Burera district has revealed that she has a malnourished Child who has had the problem for about two years.

The 5 year old child now at Butaro hospital has a swollen body especially the cheeks and his physical appearance makes one think he is three years old.

Nyirahabimana claims that the cause of malnutrition is a unique case to her child because her two other children are healthy.

Dr Jéréon Claude Nigene Ntibabaza, Butaro Hospital doctor asserts that this child has no other problems apart from malnutrition. He confirmed that the child was not given much care by the mother before but he will recover after he is fed balanced foods.

Here at the hospital, the child is being given good milk and balanced diet that will help him recover very fast, explains Dr. Ntibabaza

The local leadership adds that some children suffer from malnutrition not because their parents have no food but because they do not know how to prepare balanced diet for their children.

That’s why in every part of Rwanda, Igikoni program will be started in every cell so that parents gather and learn how to prepare well balanced diet for their children.

Parents in Northern Burera district have been called upon to help their children stay healthy by giving them balanced diet which is essential in the fight against malnutrition.

Malnutrition is currently estimated at 0.4% of children in the Northern Burera district as revealed by Zaraduhaye Joseph, Vice mayor in charge of Economic development.

Joseph added that although the number is small, malnutrition must be fought at all cost. “There is no such a small number when it comes to the lives of people, especially children”, Joseph said

He asked parents in general to prepare balanced diets to their children because it is the only way to fight malnutrition. To be able to achieve this, parents should focus on planting vegetables in their kitchen gardens. “Besides, if your poultry lays eggs, don’t sell all of them, keep some for your children and remember to give them milk and if you have enough, do give some to neighbors who don’t have cows instead of selling all of it” Joseph insisted.

The Ministry of local government on twitter shows that 16,000 homes in the whole country have malnutrition related problems. The reason why the government has embarked on a serious campaign to encourage parents to take the lead in helping their children stay health, because after all, you don’t need to be wealthy to able to afford a balanced diet.