A mother's dedication to her daughter's health and nutrition

Palma, Cabo Delgado - Ulensa, an adorable 1-year-old girl, has had a journey to a healthy life thanks to the dedication of her mother, Esha Saide.

Ulensa, with her contagious smile, is a source of great joy for Esha. She expresses her happiness at having had the opportunity to take part in the cooking sessions held by the community health workers (CHW) in her community, where she learned how to prepare nutritious meals for her daughter. "These sessions brought a positive change to my daughter's life and helped improve her health, compared to my other two children, aged 12 and 4, who didn't have the benefit of these services," said Esha.

Recognizing that her older children did not receive fortified porridge, Esha made an important connection between proper nutrition and Ulensa's stronger health. She emphasizes the importance of fortified porridge and, even though she faces financial challenges in acquiring certain ingredients, she always finds a way to reinforce Ulensa's diet, often by using peanuts.

Although Esha continues to breastfeed Ulensa, she realizes and appreciates all the additional benefits provided by the Nutrition Intervention Package (PIN) programme. Esha not only applies this knowledge at home, but also shares her experiences with friends in the community, encouraging them to sign up for these vital sessions.

The PIN and the Treatment of Acute Malnutrition at community level (TDC) is strengthening the access to primary health care in rural communities like Judite’s community of 16 de Junho, strengthening the access to primary health care and providing essential health and nutrition support that ensures a healthy start for children. This programme is implemented with the generous support of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).