
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 by the Kyegegwa Hospital Nutrition team. Along with the group chairperson, these three women received training in basic nutrition practices to educate community members and facilitate the formation of care groups with other women and men in the village.

On May 29, 2024, the youth champions organized a follow-up CC session on malnutrition, inviting the HC III nutrition team, VHTs, the village woman councillor, and district leaders, including the Kyegegwa Hospital Nutrition focal person and the District Probation officer. The session focused on nutrition for pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five years of age. Leaders educated the community on achieving a balanced diet with locally available food sources. The nutrition focal person and HC III conducted cooking demonstrations on preparing nutritious food at home, especially for children under five, to prevent stunting. They emphasized exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and conducted breastfeeding demonstrations to encourage good practices.
Community members were enthusiastic, actively asking questions and sharing ideas. The 51 attendees made several commitments:
- Invite and engage more men in future nutrition training sessions.
- Create care groups in the community to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and the adoption of good nutrition practices.

Being the origin of the nutrition conversation in Misenyi village, community conversations provide an open space for accessing nutrition information and training, not only for this village but for many others in the Rwenzori region of Uganda. Despite the abundance of food produced annually, malnutrition and stunting remain prevalent issues. The CC approach is key because it fosters mindset change in individuals within their natural environment, triggering community action for the sustainability of targeted interventions.
By: Edlyne Kakibogo
Project Officer
Young Africa Works-Markets for Youth Program