Gakangaga Village Testimony

We visited a NW program taking place in the Gakangaga village in the Byimana cell. Again we were welcomed by a lively song and dance. After introductions, a mother approached me, wanting to tell her story.

The mother's name was Uwizaya Pascale, and she has a boy born May 26, 2011. Soon after delivery, Uwizaya fell ill and felt that she no longer had enough breast milk to provide her son. Instead, she began to feed him cow's milk. At four months of age, Uwizaya tried feeding her son watery porridge. At the mandatory monthly weight check at the health center, her son's MUAC and weight/age were both in the red category. At one year of age he weighed 5 kilos.  The health center warned Uwizaya that if she did not get help, her son could die.

Soon after this visit to the health center, Uwizaya attended her first Nutrition Weeks. She learned how to cook a balanced diet. She realized that when her son is sick, she should not only feed porridge, but a more balanced meal.

Now her son is healthy and Uwizaya is very happy with Nutrition Weeks!