All posts by Caroline Namara

ENHANCING NUTRITION AND FOOD SAFETY OUTCOMES THROUGH INTEGRATING NUTRITION PROGRAMMING IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN FORT PORTAL CITY AND KABAROLE DISTRICT

ENHANCING NUTRITION AND FOOD SAFETY OUTCOMES THROUGH INTEGRATING NUTRITION PROGRAMMING IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN FORT PORTAL CITY AND KABAROLE DISTRICT

In an effort to improve nutrition and food safety outcomes, Fort Portal City and Kabarole District have integrated nutrition programming into primary schools. This initiative addresses a critical issue—four in every ten children in the Tooro region are stunted. Contributing factors include limited knowledge about nutrition, inadequate dietary diversity, and insufficient care for mothers and children. Moreover, food safety concerns need urgent attention. Pupils of Karambi primary school nutrition club pose for a photo with KRC-Uganda, IDP, JESE, RCA and political and technical leaders from Fort Portal City and Kabarole district during one of the school monitoring exercises Primary schools have become pivotal in promoting sustainable food systems by educating […]

Gender Discrimination against Women and Girls

Gender Discrimination against Women and Girls

Gender discrimination occurs when one sex is favoured over the other, leading to disadvantages for the opposite gender. In our society, we frequently encounter such discriminatory situations between women/girls and men/boys. Globally, it is estimated that 736 million women—nearly one in three—have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or non-partner at least once in their lives, with 30% of women aged 15 and older affected (UN Women, 2023). In the same report, most violence against women is perpetrated by current and or former or intimate partners. More than 640 million or 26 % of women aged 15 years and older have been subjected to intimate partner violence. […]

DISABILITY INCLUSION IN NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS IN REFUGEE SETTLEMENTS

DISABILITY INCLUSION IN NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS IN REFUGEE SETTLEMENTS

Refugee settlements are often scenes of severe hardship, where basic necessities such as food, shelter, and healthcare are scarce. In these challenging environments, the needs of people with disabilities are frequently overlooked. Refugee populations often have higher rates of disability due to conflict, violence, and poor living conditions. Disabilities can range from physical impairments to sensory and cognitive, each requiring specific accommodations and considerations. People with disabilities are at a higher risk of malnutrition. Mobility impairments, for example, may limit their to access food distribution points. Sensory disabilities might make it difficult to communicate needs or navigate unfamiliar environments. Cognitive disabilities can complicate understanding of nutrition information and self-care practices. […]

Reducing stigma and improving Maternal Nutrition for Teenage Pregnant Mothers

Reducing stigma and improving Maternal Nutrition for Teenage Pregnant Mothers

In Kyaka II settlement, teenage pregnancy rate is increasing during Maternal Child health and Nutrition (MCHN) clinic at Itambabiniga health Outpost and young mothers are facing severe stigma to attending health care services. This is adversely affecting their access to maternal nutrition and health care. The stigma will not only be isolated to these young mothers but also leads to malnutrition impacting both maternal and child health. Recognizing this issue in the identified teenage pregnant mothers, the nutritionist engaged a comprehensive Nutritional support and counselling aimed at reducing stigma and improving maternal Nutrition among teenage pregnant mothers. The session focused on counselling tailored to the needs of teenage mothers and […]

Achieving Our Savings Goals by Shifting Mindsets: Harvesting Seeds of Gold

Achieving Our Savings Goals by Shifting Mindsets: Harvesting Seeds of Gold

According to research conducted by FINSCOPE UGANDA 2023, 60% of Ugandans are actively engaged in both formal and informal saving practices. However, it is concerning that 39% of these savers primarily save to meet their regular expenses. This can, to some extent, be attributed to the savers’ lack of clear financial goals or focus. As a result, the accumulated savings often end up being used for unexpected or unplanned events, leading to a depletion of the saved funds. Kyomugisha Regina, a member of Rushango Central Farmers VSLA in Kabambiro Sub County, Kamwenge District, diligently saved her money and shared each saving cycle over time. However, she never seemed to see […]

Leveraging Religious spaces to promote optimal nutrition and food safety practices

Leveraging Religious spaces to promote optimal nutrition and food safety practices

Lucy Kahunde, a member of the Central Division Nutrition Coordination Committees delivering food safety messages to Christians at town Church, Fort Portal Tourism City. In September 2020, Government approved the Uganda Nutrition Action Plan (UNAP II) as the Country’s Strategic Plan for Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) over the period 2020-2025 with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) holding the coordinating function. The UNAP II mandates the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) to strengthen the enabling environment for scaling up nutrition specific and sensitive actions at local governments of Uganda. At Local Government Level, the UNAP II coordination arrangements provide for: Nutrition Coordination Committees (NCCs) at District, City, Municipality, City […]

Community Conversation Spark Community Nutrition Action

Community Conversation Spark Community Nutrition Action

Community conversations, commonly referred to as CC, are a nonlinear process that facilitates open and free discussions among community members about issues affecting their daily lives, enabling them to devise local action plans and solutions. In Misenyi village, Kakabara sub-county, the issue of malnutrition and stunting emerged as a critical concern during one of the CC sessions facilitated by youth champions under the Young Africa Works program, Cohort 3, in Kyegegwa district. Identifying this issue, two youth champions from the Misenyi Group of Hope, a local VSLA, raised it with the nutrition focal persons at Kakabara Health Center III. This led to their selection for training as Nutrition Lead Mothers […]

Enhancing Nutrition Services In Government Health Systems: Insights From KRC-Uganda’s MCHN+TSFP Project In Kyaka Ii Refugee Settlements

Enhancing Nutrition Services In Government Health Systems: Insights From KRC-Uganda’s MCHN+TSFP Project In Kyaka Ii Refugee Settlements

 Ms.Sharon assessing the nutrition status of a baby at a Health Centre in Kyaka II refugee settlement KRC-Uganda’s robust Human Resource (HR) department, bolstered by multiple donations, continues to expand its efforts in addressing malnutrition comprehensively in humanitarian settings. Through partnerships with international organizations, KRC-Uganda has evolved from dependency to autonomy, securing substantial multi-year grants, from international organizations like World Food Program (WFP). KRC-Uganda is extending its support to nutrition rehabilitation centers at health facilities, emphasizing the enhancement of multi-sectoral dimensions. Human Resources (HR) ultimately plays a pivotal role in strengthening systems and mobilizing resources. However, there remains a notable gap in the integration of nutrition services across the health […]