Pre-Nutrition Week Training: Village Nutrition Committee

TRAINING IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO NUTRITION WEEKS

Pre-Nutrition Week Training with the following Village Nutrition Committee Leaders: Head of Village, Social and Economic Development at the village level, and community health workers.

The VNC are the primary educators during Nutrition Week. They are taught the daily activities; primary objectives; and simulations of the training sessions.

Each committee member is given the opportunity to teach a lesson during the training and then given feedback to ensure they are effectively teaching the lessons. Furthermore, they are given a pre-test before the training and a post-test upon completion of the training to ensure they are retaining the material.

The training is a two-day training divided by cells. Each person who chooses to attend the training receives a per diem of 3,000 Rwandan Francs per day to assist with travel, lodging, transportation, and food costs.

The training is lead by Social Affairs at the Sector level, Social and Economic Development at the Cell level, and the in charge of community health workers. Each trainer receives a 5,000 Rwandan Francs per day as per diem for training the VNC members.

The current training consisted of two sectors.

Kaduha Sector 

Nyabisindu Cell

Nusenyi Cell

Kavvmu Cell 

Nurambi Cell

Nyamiyage Cell 

Mugano Sector 

Suti Cell

Sovu Cell

Yonde Cell

Ruhinga Cell

Gitwa Cell

Gitondorero Cell

Nutrition Week 7 primary objectives:

1.            The importance of cooking porridge thicker, and feeding young children thicker (more calorie-dense) porridge.

2.            The need to eat high-fat content and animal-source foods (eggs, organ meats, etc.). 

3.            To increase the number of meals per day. 

4.            Increase variety of foods given at each meal and each day. 

5.            Infants must be mentally stimulated for development. 

6.            Hand washing before meals for mothers and children is important to reduce diarrhea.

7.    Pregnant women need an extra meal and rest

Flip Chart of the training teachings. 

Training Manual for VNC 

VNC Members of Kaduha Sector Kaduha Sector Nyabisindu Cell

ICSP Staff assisting with the training of  Kaduha Sector Nyabisundu Cell

VNC Members of Kaduha Sector Nyabisindu Cell

ICSP Staff reviewing the importance of thicker porridge with Mugano Sector.

During the cooking demonstrations of Nutrition Week two primary items are prepared. On the right is the thicker porridge which consists of three types of flour: Sourgum, Maze, and Soy. To prepare for ten children there would be 10 spoons of Sourgum and Maze Flour and 4 spoons of Soy Flour.  These three flours are then mixed with water to give the porridge consistency. On the left is "Inombe" which is a recommended dish for children. The dish consists of anchovies, amarante (spinach like vegetables), carrots, potatoes, palm oil, soy flour, and tomatoes.

During Nutrition Week ICSP provides some items including Palm Oil and the cooking pans. The village is the expected to include some times such as the vegetables to help take ownership of the week.  Together they work to show the importance of nutritional meals. 

Preparing for the post test examination during training for Mugano Sector. This test helps to ensure the VNCs understand the material they have learned over the two-day training. 

Mugano Sector during the post test exam. The participants must raise a fist for a no response and two fingers for a yes response. There are 15 yes/no questions orally asked to the participants. These are the same questions asked during the pre-test. There is then a comparative analysis performed on the correct responses during the pre-test and post-test.  

Mugano sector learning about the food demonstration lessons. 

Social Affairs at the Sector level welcoming  Kaduha Sector Nyabisindu Cell to the VNC training