A Mother’s Club in the UDICC Area Development Program in Haiti is using a club approach to overcome malnutrition. We met today with one club whose 28 members meet on a monthly basis. Their goal is to develop a more balanced diet for their children using food sources which are most readily available in their community. The target is for children from 0 to 5 years old, but most children we saw today looked to be in the younger end of that age range. The members of the club share the cost to purchase food, and share in the food preparation. The club also tracks the progress of their children to make sure they are growing well. This particular club was chosen to receive additional training, and they are being used as a model that many other clubs can follow.
Mother’s club leader (centre) and two other club members
We talked to one mother who was there with her 20 month old daughter, the youngest of her four children. She was previously in another club, and this was her third meeting in this club. She said she really gained a lot from being in the club. She learned to provide her children with foods that increase growth, that increase strength, and that increase protection against diseases.
Mother and daughter in Mother’s Club
In a country where malnutrition has had such a devastating effect on child health, this club approach is proving to a very effective way of educating mothers and raising a healthier generation of children.
