WFP launches campaign to improve nutrition of Palestine’s vulnerable women & children
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a new campaign to provide nutritional support to hundreds of pregnant and nursing women in Gaza and the West Bank, aiming to combat malnutrition and high anemia (iron deficiency) rates among them.
The campaign, under the slogan “Your little wins add up to big achievements”, includes activities such as cooking sessions, home-garden kits and training for growing vegetables and fruits, to be delivered at the individual, household, and community levels. It is being rolled out via social media platforms and through on-site awareness sessions.
“Addressing important issues like anaemia through community-based and online initiatives means accelerating and supporting a knowledge-sharing process,” said Samer AbdelJaber, WFP Representative and Country Director in Palestine. “Through hands-on initiatives and harnessing the power of technology, we work together to build a process that ultimately aims not just to share information but to inspire people to apply it to their everyday activities.”
Through awareness sessions given to pregnant and nursing women as well as mothers of children under five, the campaign provides information to participants on iron-rich food items and anemia prevention. The sessions include edutainment activities and discussions with nutritionists in addition to healthy cooking sessions on the preparation of iron-rich foods.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), iron deficiency is an intermediate public health problem in Palestine, especially among children under five. Through this campaign, WFP aims to support mothers and families in improving their nutrition while boosting dietary iron consumption. WFP will also provide some participants with sessions on home gardening and iron-rich plant gardening through the “grow your own garden” activity.
These activities will encourage participants to make healthy food and lifestyle choices for themselves and their families, contributing to improving their overall nutritional status. SBCC approach combines elements of interpersonal communication, social change, advocacy, and community engagement to support individuals, families, and communities in adopting and maintaining high-impact nutrition behaviors or practices.
Source: Palestinian News & Information Agency