BundiNutrition September 2007 Monthly Report

Below is a listing of various BundiNutrition projects and current activities. These projects are financially supported by private donations. The projects are practically and logistically supported by Nyahuka Health Center staff, lay health workers, WHM agriculture extension officers and missionaries, community members, and patients’ caregivers.

· NHC/WHM Inpatient and Outpatient Feeding Programs
o Inpatient Feeding Program: Serve malnourished inpatients, often with chronic illness or severe infection (HIV, TB). Often these children have kwashiorkor and/or marasmus or are below the Road to Health line.
§ Inpatients are given either starter milk (if they present as severely malnourished) or high energy milk (if recovering from severe malnutrition)
§ In some cases, eggs and groundnut paste/powder are also provided to boost nutrition
§ In August 2007, we served 32 total, 14 males, 18 females
§ In September 2007, we served 22 total, 13 females, and 7 males (2 unidentified gender).

o Outpatient Feeding Program: Serve motherless infants under 1 year, multiple birth babies, low birth weight babies (<2.5 kg), and those recovering from severe malnutrition (kwashiorkor, marasmus)
§ When initially enrolled, children are given 24 boxes of milk, oil, sugar and told to find a surrogate breastfeeding and return the following month
§ Surrogates receive 10 cups of beans each month through the child’s 12th month
§ In August 2007, we served 55 children, 31 males and 24 females.
§ In September 2007, we served 53 children, 22 males, and 29 females.

o HIV-affected children
§ Serve children between 6-18 months when mothers are weaning children off breastmilk, as well as HIV-positive children who are also underweight
§ Children receive growth monitoring and bi-weekly protein supplements such as eggs or groundnut paste or powder. Caregiver education is also provided.
§ In August 2007, we served an average of 11 children per week.
§ In September 2007, we served an average of 15 children per week.

· Nutrition Trainings
o Beginning 11 Sept 2007, 3 trainings were conducted on the following topics: (1) Growth monitoring and identification of malnourished children; (2) General nutrition (concepts of energy, vitamins, minerals and the purpose of each in the body), exclusive breastfeeding; and (3) Healthy young child nutrition, including responsive feeding and recovery feeding.
o Conducted at Busunga (Tuesday afternoons), Busaru (Wednesday afternoons), and Nyahuka (Friday afternoons) Health Centers.
o Average attendance was 15 people, which includes health center staff, TBAs, BBB production team members, and other interested community members

· Byokuliya Bisemeye mu Bantu (BBB) Project
o To promote cultivation of high-protein food crops such as sesame, groundnut, and soybean
o Seed distributed to 116 beneficiaries in July 2007 (asked to return a portion of the crop to the project); Monitoring and field education is on-going
o Agriculture sensitization seminars conducted
o Distributed 3 hand-powered seed grinders for community use and production of a high-protein powder to be distributed at NHC and possibly in other health centers.

· Chicken Project
o To promote sustainable animal protein food sources, with emphasis on children
o As of 24 September 2007, 1005 eggs distributed to NHC
o Total of 1112 eggs collected since they began laying on 7 August until 23 September
o On-farm trainings regarding chicken management and fodder establishment

· Matiti Dairy Goat Project
o To promote sustainable animal protein, emphasizing children
o Over 50 goats distributed in April 2007; Follow-up and veterinary care are on-going
o Offer matings between local goats and exotic dairy goats
o Management of a Matiti dairy goats demonstration farm
o On-farm trainings regarding goat management and fodder establishment