Group, NGOs boost nutrition in Lagos

To boost mother and child care in Lagos communities, Alive and Thrive has entered into partnership with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to act as middlemen in ensuring access to quality care and health information.

The partnership will strengthen systems for Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MYCIN) in diverse communities around Lagos and cultivate greater understanding about good nutrition-related behaviour as well as improve nutrition outcomes for children in the first 1,000 days.

Chamagne Foundation, Good Women Foundation and The Neo Child Initiative, which have their reach in Lagos communities, like Apapa, Epe, Somolu and Lagos Island, with interventions in over 40 healthcare facilities, are included in the partnership.

According to Alive and Thrive, these organisations are involved in providing dietary and nutritional guides, and supporting pregnant and nursing mothers, promoting exclusive breastfeeding, maternal intervention, post-natal care and growth monitoring.

During a visit, organised by Alive and Thrive to the organisations on the MIYCN project in Lagos, Programmes Officer at Chamagne Foundation, Mrs. Adebimpe Obadeyi, said through the project, the issue of knowledge gap that stems from faith and culture-based beliefs is gradually being corrected, as the foundation leveraged key community influencers to champion the message.

According to her, the MYICN project helps the foundation to improve the nutritional status of people in communities, as more mothers are now aware of how to spend little money on healthy local meals for themselves and their children.

Also, the Executive Director of The Neo Child Initiative (TNCI), Dr. Cassandra Akinde, said the partnership helped them to gain access, more visibility, community presence and build more capacities, especially as their target audience extended from just children to mothers, health workers and community members.

She added that it also enabled them to drive profitable conversations with community leaders and stakeholders, whose influence led to more access and reception.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Good Women Foundation, Omolayo Famuyide, recounted that the involvement of Alive and Thrive fostered a supportive supervision and data management process in the antenatal clinics and primary health centres.