The Successful choice of Exclusive Breastfeeding
Chantal: A Leading Figure in Djingring Kass
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Under a large tree in the village of Djingring Kass, located 7 km from the canton capital of Krim Krim, in the Logone Occidental province, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Denemadji Chantal, a 33-year-old mother of five, didn't want to miss this opportunity to take part in the dialogue organized by the provincial health delegation's management team and the UNICEF team. In her arms, Léa, her 11-month-old baby, all chubby with the smile of a happy child. Chantal has come to share her successful experience of exclusive breastfeeding with all the members of her community.
The exchange focuses on community involvement in the promotion of children's rights and social services. Under the watchful and admiring eyes of her community, Chantal shares the benefits she has observed from exclusive breastfeeding.
Many time, I have heard community health workers, including my husband, extol the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding many times. Together, we decided to practice it when I was pregnant with Léa, and today we are very satisfied.
Yet the choice was not an easy one. Chantal's parents were vehemently opposed to the decision and blamed her husband for what they saw as an absurd idea. They couldn't conceive of a child being born and growing up without drinking water!
I had lost several children before, and I didn't want to lose this one. I decided to follow their advice and not give my child water or any other food until he was six months old.
According to the couple, the neighbors who witnessed their experience at first hand are now in favor of exclusive breastfeeding.
“We were convinced that little Léa would not survive, or at best, that she would have physical after-effects. It was a first in our village to encounter such a case. Little Léa is alive and well and in very good health,”
says Golbe Anatole, the couple's neighbor.
Breast milk contains antibodies that protect infants against childhood illnesses. Giving water or other foods to infants before 6 months increases the risk of illness and malnutrition.
In Chad, the latest SMART 2022 nutrition survey reveals that only 7,3% of children aged 0-6 months are exclusively breastfed. To increase exclusive breastfeeding rates among this age group, the Government of Chad, through the Department of Food and Applied Nutrition (DANA), and UNICEF have implemented community-based approaches aimed at social and behavioral change.
With financial support from the Commission of the European Union and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF has implemented this community-based approach in the village of Djingring Kass, which now benefits from a package of community health, sanitation, and civil registration services. This approach has contributed to the promotion and adoption of exclusive breastfeeding. A pioneer of exclusive breastfeeding in Djingring Kass, Chantal has become a leading figure in her village.
