Bridging rivers and communities to combat malnutrition
My three-day journey in Saint-Louis and Podor
Day 1: arriving in Saint-Louis – understanding the scale of the challenge
As I step off the UNICEF vehicle following a six-hour journey from Dakar to Saint-Louis, the late afternoon breeze contrasts with the weight of the mission ahead. My goal over the next two days is to witness firsthand how UNICEF, in collaboration with the Japanese government, is supporting the fight against malnutrition in northern Senegal.
It is my first time in Saint-Louis, a historic city in northern Senegal where the Senegal River meets the Atlantic. This mission is not just another field visit: it's a deep dive into the realities of malnutrition and the impact of UNICEF’s response. Over the three days, I will see firsthand how essential supplies, training, and community engagement are transforming lives.
Day 2: Saint-Louis – a warehouse of hope for children
I am traveling with Keyndou, a UNICEF Senegal nutrition officer, whose deep knowledge of the region and its challenges will be invaluable. My first stop is a government warehouse where UNICEF-prepositioned nutrition supplies are stored. Walking through the stacks of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), I am reminded of how crucial these peanut-based sachets are for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Each carton represents a child’s chance at recovery: a lifeline for families who often have nowhere else to turn. Thanks to support from the Japanese government, these supplies are readily available for immediate distribution, ensuring that treatment reaches those in need without delay.
We then drive to the regional health directorate, where I meet Dr. Seynabou Ndiaye, the Regional Health Director. She explains that Saint-Louis is divided into three departments, with Podor being the most affected by malnutrition. “Podor is in the red zone,” she tells me. “Our indicators show high numbers of moderately and severely malnourished children. We have many partners in the fight against malnutrition, but UNICEF, through the support of Japan, is our key ally.”
She stresses the critical role of nutrition supplies, particularly Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), in saving lives. “Nutritional recovery wouldn’t be possible without these supplies. That’s why funding for their purchase and distribution is so important.” Standing in a warehouse filled with cartons of RUTF, I reflect on how each of these small sachets represents hope for a child battling severe acute malnutrition.
These supplies, however, are just one part of the response. Ensuring they reach health facilities and communities in time is just as crucial. “It’s not enough to have the products here,” Dr. Ndiaye continues. “They need to reach the health workers and, ultimately, the mothers who depend on them to save their children.”
Her words resonate with me as I prepare for the next day’s journey to Podor, a region where these challenges become even more pressing.
Day 3: Podor – where progress meets determination
The road to Podor is long, stretching through dry landscapes dotted with villages along the Senegal river and the border with Mauritania. Upon arrival, I meet Dr. Aly Camara, Deputy Head Doctor of the Podor Health District. He explains the situation: “For years, we have seen high malnutrition rates and, unfortunately, many deaths. The biggest challenges have been accessing health facilities, training for staff, and the availability of essential nutrition supplies.”
But things are changing. “Today, thanks to UNICEF’s support, we have well-trained personnel, proper diagnostics, and structured referral pathways,” he explains. “At the Centers for Nutritional Recovery and Education, we are seeing excellent recovery rates. In 2022, we had some of our best success rates in treating severe acute malnutrition.” His words reflect not only progress but also a growing sense of confidence among health workers.
Day 3: Podor – where progress meets determination
The road to Podor is long, stretching through dry landscapes dotted with villages along the Senegal river and the border with Mauritania. Upon arrival, I meet Dr. Aly Camara, Deputy Head Doctor of the Podor Health District. He explains the situation: “For years, we have seen high malnutrition rates and, unfortunately, many deaths. The biggest challenges have been accessing health facilities, training for staff, and the availability of essential nutrition supplies.”
But things are changing. “Today, thanks to UNICEF’s support, we have well-trained personnel, proper diagnostics, and structured referral pathways,” he explains. “At the Centers for Nutritional Recovery and Education, we are seeing excellent recovery rates. In 2022, we had some of our best success rates in treating severe acute malnutrition.” His words reflect not only progress but also a growing sense of confidence among health workers.
That confidence is echoed when I meet Fatou Tine, a community health worker who has been on the frontlines of the nutrition response. “When I was assigned here in 2022, we were already treating children with severe acute malnutrition until they fully recovered,” she tells me. “We are incredibly grateful to the Japanese government for their support—especially for the purchase of RUTF, vitamin A supplements, and other essential supplies.”
Her dedication is unwavering. Community health workers like Fatou are critical in ensuring that malnourished children receive care early before their condition worsens. Their role goes beyond treatment: they educate mothers, encourage proper infant feeding practices, and serve as the first line of defense against malnutrition.
While with her, a mother arrives with her daughter for a consultation. She arrives with her daughter, eager to hear from Fatou how her child is doing. Fatou takes the mid-upper arm circumference of the girl using a color-coded tape, a measurement that allows health workers to quickly determine the nutritional status of a child and identify cases of malnutrition.
Good news! The tape is green, meaning that the child is in good health. The mother expresses a sign of relief, and a smile. Fatou takes the measurement and writes the results of her consultation.
Later on, we take the car to reach Nghaole, a village about an hour’s walk away from Podor central. As we enter the health post, I notice a small boy sitting in his mother’s arms. He looks much smaller than his age though, in reality, no one knows his exact birthday. Many families here lack birth registration, so age is often estimated by asking, “What festival was happening when he was born?”
The boy is severely malnourished. His arms and legs are painfully thin, and he struggles to sit upright without his mother’s support. His tiny hands clutch his mother’s chest, seeking breastmilk, but she, too, is undernourished. Her frail body tells of struggles too heavy for words, but in her eyes, I see a quiet, relentless fight for survival.
The health workers here are more than caregivers: they offer hope. Too often, malnutrition goes unnoticed until it is severe, simply because families don’t know what to look for or where to turn. That is why strong community connections are vital. When families can speak with a trusted health worker and access care close to home, they feel safe and seen.
We must break every barrier between them and the help they need, because no parent should have to fight this battle alone.
Reflections: the road ahead
As I make my way back to Dakar, I carry with me a profound sense of admiration for the people I have met.
In Senegal, one child under five out of 10 suffers from acute malnutrition, including 1.1% from severe forms, compromising their health, survival and development. The battle against malnutrition in Saint-Louis and Podor is far from over, but real progress is being made. The partnership between UNICEF, the Government of Senegal, and Japan is proving that, with the right investments, lives can be saved, and communities can become more resilient.
Quality and diversified nutrition in the first days of life is essential to guarantee that every child can have the best start in life, with a good health, an adequate cognitive development and a strong immune system. That’s why it is crucial that all partners join forces to improve access and quality of nutrition services, working hands in hands with families, community leaders, parents and community health workers to prevent and combat malnutrition.
Three key lessons stand out:
- Sustained funding and supply chain efficiency are critical to ensure that RUTF and other lifesaving interventions reach children in need.
- Training and empowering local health workers is essential to ensure high-quality diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition.
- Community engagement is the backbone of success, from government officials to frontline workers, everyone plays a role in turning the tide against malnutrition.
My time in Saint-Louis and Podor reminded me that behind every statistic, there are real people: mothers, children, health workers, all fighting every day for a healthier future. And as long as that fight continues, UNICEF will be there, I will be there, ensuring that no child is left behind.
