In this article, we explore how CS-SUNN state chapters commemorated their 10th Anniversary across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, featuring a variety of initiatives and activities focused on enhancing nutrition education and community engagement towards improved nutritious and healthy practices. Each chapter’s celebration sheds light on local challenges and creative solutions, demonstrating CS-SUNN’s significant role in promoting nutrition advocacy across the country.
Starting with CS-SUNN Lagos chapter!
The CS-SUNN Lagos Chapter joined the celebration of CS-SUNN at 10 with a series of impactful programs that made a significant mark in Lagos State. The events were aligned with the theme: “A Decade of Nutrition Advocacy: Reflecting on the Past and Shaping the Future.” The chapter selected Alimosho Local Government due to its status as the largest local government in Lagos State and their desire to engage with the community directly. The celebration featured well-planned activities ranging from food demonstrations to advocacy talks and a nutrition road walk. Here’s a look at the successful activities:
Nutrition Talk: The program began with CS-SUNN members, Alimosho health educators, and the Lagos State Committee of Food and Nutrition gathering at Akowonjo Primary Health Center to deliver talks on exclusive breastfeeding, multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS), and nutritious food choices to mothers with children under five years old.
Watch a brief video on food demonstration exercise Egg Custard in Akowonjo PHC here https://youtu.be/6kO4rb3EAuw
Food Demonstration: Recognizing that “we are what we eat,” CS-SUNN Lagos chapter members educated mothers on practical, nutritious food choices for optimal child development, presenting alternatives to commonly consumed staple foods. A food demonstration on preparation of Egg custard was showcased (using pap, eggs, milk and palm oil); educating mothers nutritious complementary foods. Fruits were distributed to all mothers and children present at the end of the exercise.
Advocacy Visit
At the end of the nutrition talk and food demonstration, advocacy visits to some religious institution on the benefits of Exclusive Breastfeeding and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements was carried out. The visit was at The African Church, Akowonjo where the pastor warmly received the CS-SUNN team and committed to sharing this crucial information with his congregation and community.
Nutrition Road Walk
A highlight of the event, the nutrition road walk saw participants taking to the streets with the CS-SUNN @10 banner. They chanted and spoke at major junctions about the benefits of healthy eating and exclusive breastfeeding. The talks were delivered in both English and Yoruba to reach a diverse audience.
CS-SUNN @10 Family Discussion
The program concluded at the Alimosho Local Government Hall with a discussion on CS-SUNN’s impact over the past decade and plans for the future. The discussion, attended by representatives from the local government, health educators, state committee members, CS-SUNN Lagos Chapter members, and the press, was a testament to the collective effort and dedication to nutrition advocacy. The Alimosho Local Government Chairman, represented by the Supervisor for Health, expressed gratitude for the journey and looked forward to continued partnership with CS-SUNN.
Mr. Samuel Akinyode, the CS-SUNN Lagos Coordinator, appreciated everyone’s contributions and expressed hope for a better and collaborative partnerships in the next decade.
From the Nasarawa State Chapter!
The CS-SUNN Nasarawa chapter organized a community food demonstration/sensitization event and a special chapter congress meeting to commemorate CS-SUNN’s 10th anniversary. The goal was to bridge the knowledge gap in food poverty and its health and social consequences through community-based initiatives. The event sought to provide caregivers with knowledge on the four-star diet approach to healthy eating, influence attitudes towards the consumption of nutrient-rich foods to prevent malnutrition and to promote greater access to healthy food and nutritional knowledge in low-income communities, empowering them to lead more nutritious and healthier lives.
The Alliance selected Akuruba community in Lafia, Nasarawa State due to high population migration to the area and related environmental issues. The demonstrations brought together over 80 women, teaching them to use local ingredients to prepare nutritious meals and preserve food.
Nutrition Knowledge and Skills Development:
The Mothers learned to make guinea corn flour, orange-fleshed sweet potato powder, soybean powder milk, moringa powder, and tomato paste, which can be preserved for over six months. Participants learned to mix powder grains for complementary foods for children and staple foods for all household members. They were also trained on producing and marketing moringa powder locally by women/youth entrepreneurs.
Collaborations and Participation:
The CS-SUNN chapter partnered with the Nasarawa Agriculture Development Program (NADP) and various MDAs like Water Resources, Education, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and Ministry of Budget and Planning. The State chapter also hosted a state congress meeting to teach member organizations how to prepare nutritious and healthy foods.
The events adopted open group discussions and practical activities to teach participants about the four food groups. They also explored planning and preparing meals to help increase knowledge and skills for nutritious food intake using the four-star diet approach.
Recommendations for the future:
- The activity identified future focus areas for food demonstration.
- Showed that pregnant women and caregivers can meet nutritional requirements by planning and preparing a variety of dishes using the four-star diet approach.
- Participants expressed interest in more culinary skills and recipes for children’s complementary feeding.
And in Rivers State…
The CS-SUNN Rivers State Chapter marked their 10th anniversary in partnership with Quiva Fillas Educational Foundation to launch the ‘Veggies for Kiddies’ campaign. It aimed to promote home gardening across Nigerian households. The initiative, held in a low-income community in Kala, Mile 4, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, distributed pumpkin “Ugu” seeds to approximately 50 children, encouraging them to cultivate vegetables at home.
The Children were taught the importance of vegetable gardening and its role in improving their health and well-being by making vegetables readily available for their consumption at no cost. Demonstration exercises on how to plant vegetables in bags and other forms of containers were also carried out. The parents of the children were not left out, as they were encouraged to support their children nurture thee seeds and continuously plant other vegetables.
The chapter will carry out a follow-up visit to assess the children’s progress and program impact, with future efforts aiming to engage more stakeholders and government support to expand this initiative in Rivers state. Quiva Fillas Educational Foundation provided major sponsorship for the program.
