Changing Attitudes Towards Balanced Nutrition: The Impact of Husband Schools in Gikwe

The dry season is in full swing in Kirundo. It’s Thursday, 7 August, and we are on our way to Gikwe Hill in the commune of Bugabira. A cloud of dust follows us along the 15 kilometres (9 miles) that separate this locality from the centre of Kirundo. After twenty minutes on a bumpy road, our vehicle stops in front of Daniel Musabanganji’s house. An unusual scene catches our attention.

In the inner courtyard, at precisely 9:30 a.m., a dozen men, all wearing vests emblazoned with the logos of the Burundian Government, KfW (German Development Bank), Concern Worldwide, and UNICEF, are gathered in a semicircle. With an illustrated manual in hand, Daniel Musabanganji, one of the participants, stands and leads a discussion. But this is no ordinary meeting, it’s a learning session at a “School for Husbands.”

Here, participants call themselves Imboneza, literally “role models.” Their mission is clear: to become responsible husbands and pillars of change in their communities. The initiative, led by Concern Worldwide with support from UNICEF and financial backing from KfW, aims to promote behavioural change among men in relation to nutrition and gender, thereby facilitating joint decision-making within couples and preventing gender-based violence.

During educational sessions, discussions focus on the role and contribution of the husband, as head of the household, in improving the diets of pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children under five. This includes the responsible use of crops and active involvement in household chores to lighten the load on their wives, tasks once perceived as exclusively women’s work.

But the goal goes beyond housework, it’s about breaking deeply rooted stereotypes to enable families to live in dignity and better health.

Maurice Ndikuriyo, father of four children, shares his experience of his former habits: “Before, I used to tell myself that I couldn’t run out of banana wine even though I had a stock of beans at home. I would sell everything at the pub, come home drunk, and my family would go to bed without eating.”

Today, Maurice says he has turned over a new leaf. He now manages his harvest carefully and prioritizes food security for his children.

Marcel Niyorugira, father of two children, echoes this sentiment: “I didn’t waste a lot, but I still sold a good part of the harvest. Now I’m teaching my family to eat a balanced diet to stay healthy.”

During the session led by Daniel, the discussions focus on the main food groups, proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, and vitamins. Emphasis is also placed on the importance of keeping products such as milk and eggs for family consumption, rather than selling them to buy beer.

The “Husband Schools” approach goes beyond raising awareness; it also includes organizing home visits to monitor the adoption of good practices within households. Each Imboneza is responsible for training ten other men in his community. This approach promotes a snowball effect already visible in Gikwe.

Through this programme, UNICEF and its partners are demonstrating that sustainable development also requires a change in attitudes, particularly among men. And in Gikwe, this transformation is already underway, benefiting the entire community.