Malnutrition leads to lifelong health issues and poor health that affect an individual’s entire lifecycle, from childhood to old age, resulting in reduced productivity, lower income, increased medical expenses, and early death- trapping extremely poor households in lifelong financial hardship. To address the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition in these households, the PPEPP-EU project provides nutrition-specific services covering 16 direct nutrition interventions (DNIs) promoted by Bangladesh’s National Nutrition Services.
In the first five years, nutrition is crucial for child development, protection from malnutrition, and ensuring good health. Therefore, as part of its efforts to combat malnutrition, PPEPP-EU organises exhibitions on age-appropriate food selection, Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), nutrient-rich fortified foods, ideal cooking processes, and proper hand-washing techniques at various project platforms, such as the Mothers and Children Forum.
The primary goal of these exhibitions is to educate mothers and family members of children under five about preparing, cooking and serving nutritious foods suitable for their child’s age and promoting healthy practices. The event emphasises the following key topics.
♦️ Information about food, nutrition, food components and the importance of nutritious food intake;
♦️ Preparation of a list of suitable and nutritious foods for children;
♦️ Explaining the importance and nutritional qualities of age-appropriate and easily available home-made foods for children, such as ‘Pushti Khichudi’ and ‘Pushti Haluwa’;
♦️ Highlighting healthy ways of cooking, preserving and serving food at the household level;
♦️ Hand-washing techniques before and after cooking and feeding.
Field officials from PPEPP-EU’s nutrition component explain all the essential food groups using a food pyramid, and demonstrate cooking processes and hand-washing techniques through hands-on sessions with participants. The event also raises awareness about the importance of continuing to feed a child easily digestible food when they are ill and recognising the symptoms of malnutrition to seek treatment when necessary.
Nilufa Begum, a member from Mithamoin Upazila in Kishoreganj district, stated, “Through this exhibition, we can talk to health workers and learn about the essential cooking ingredients for children, the ideal amount of salt to use and when and how to give them soft or hard food.”
This exhibition plays a vital role in raising awareness among mothers and guardians about children’s food and nutrition according to their respective age groups. As they practice preparing nutritious food during the exhibition, they learn to properly nourish children by making balanced meals easily at home, which is crucial for ensuring their proper nutrition.