Lucky P
Leaders and nutrition advocates in Kabarole District are calling on parents to take immediate action in the fight against child malnutrition by ensuring that every child and student brings packed food to school. They emphasize that many children attend classes on empty stomachs, a situation that not only exacerbates stunted growth and persistent malnutrition but also negatively impacts academic performance, making it difficult for learners to concentrate and achieve satisfactory results in Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) examinations.
Despite the Tooro sub-region being recognized as a food basket, the rates of malnutrition remain alarmingly high. According to the latest Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) 2022, stunting among children under five years in Tooro stands at 38.7 percent, ranking the sub-region third nationwide, following Karamoja (43.9%) and Kigezi (41.5%), all of which exceed the national average of 26 percent. The report further indicates that severe stunting among children under five in Tooro is at 14.4 percent, placing it second after Karamoja (19.7%) and significantly higher than the national rate of 9 percent. Additionally, the prevalence of underweight children under five stands at 11.3 percent, slightly above the national figure of 10.2 percent, with severely underweight children at 3.2 percent.
District leaders attribute the ongoing malnutrition crisis partly to parents who sell off food supplies, leaving children without meals at home or school.
Mr. Brian Kisembo, the Kabarole Assistant District Health Officer and chairperson of the district nutrition committee, stated that the district is now advocating for a school feeding program as a long-term solution. “If all children start eating at school, it will not only address malnutrition but also reduce school dropout rates and the challenges associated with hunger among learners,” Mr. Kisembo asserted. He emphasized that nutrition is not merely about having food but ensuring that children consume meals rich in essential nutrients necessary for proper growth.
“We have food, but what are our children being fed? Food lacking nutrients cannot support healthy growth. We have many children under five years who are stunted, and they require nutritious meals,” he explained. Mr. Kisembo revealed that out of every 100 children in the Tooro sub-region, approximately 40 have stopped growing normally, warning that stunted growth becomes irreversible after the age of two. He further noted that malnutrition among pregnant mothers contributes to anemia and low birth weight, which adversely affects child development. “If mothers give birth to low-birth-weight babies, breastfeeding becomes challenging because malnourished mothers may not produce enough breast milk. These children also become more vulnerable to non-communicable diseases later in life,” he elaborated.
Mr. Kisembo highlighted that sub-counties such as Kabende, Hakibaale Harungogo, and Kasenda have recorded high numbers of malnourished children. He stated that in all 15 sub-counties within the district, nutrition committees have been tasked with engaging families through community sensitization on proper feeding practices.
Kabarole District Chairperson, Mr. Richard Rwabuhinga, said that the unfortunate reality that children are increasingly suffering from lifestyle-related illnesses such as diabetes due to poor dietary habits at home. “People today are growing quantitatively but not qualitatively because of the food they consume. This is why malnutrition persists. Our children perform poorly in class because they cannot think clearly when they are hungry, and they have grown only in size due to the food we provide,” Mr. Rwabuhinga stated.
He warned that stunted growth has long-term repercussions on future generations and called for government funding to address the crisis. “We need a budget funded by the government to tackle malnutrition. This issue affects the future of our children. When a child is stunted and grows, they cannot reason well at home, which is why we are witnessing an increase in cases of gender-based violence,” he said. Mr. Rwabuhinga commended PLANE Uganda for their advocacy programs, which utilize radio talk shows and drama to sensitize the community on gender-based violence, environmental conservation, and protection through initiatives like the Greening Uganda Schools project.
“I recognize PLANE for their innovative advocacy approaches using radio drama and talk shows to educate our people on health, social, and economic issues. They have produced films on GBV prevention, such as ‘My Fate,’ which addressed the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT), and now ‘Voices Unheard and Unseen Burden.’ Their Greening Uganda Schools project is nurturing young environmental stewards, creating a generation that will protect and respect nature,” he said.
Ms. Catherine Kemigabo, the district nutrition focal person, highlighted that malnutrition has a particularly severe impact on teenage mothers, many of whom fail to attend antenatal care services and instead opt for traditional birth attendants. “The impact is worse among teenage mothers because some do not seek antenatal care and instead rely on traditional birth attendants. This often results in low-birth-weight babies,” she noted.
District leaders, development partners, and 15 sub-county Community Development Officers (CDOs) convened a Leaders Nutrition Engagement meeting to discuss strategies for eradicating malnutrition among children both in schools and communities. Among the key resolutions was the need to engage parents to ensure that all learners return to school with packed lunches and to educate families on providing meals rich in nutrients. Stakeholders also resolved to strengthen sub-county nutrition committees, integrate nutrition into all government programs, and mobilize funding to support interventions.
Mr. Steven Waddell, the Executive Director of PLANE (PLATFORM for the NEEDY), announced that the organization has identified five schools where advocacy for a school feeding program will commence in Kabarole District. “In our engagement, we will ensure that parents in the identified schools understand the importance of children eating lunch at school. We do not want children studying on empty stomachs,” Mr. Ainganiza emphasized. He added that the program will also involve establishing school nutrition gardens to cultivate nutrient-rich crops, which will also be encouraged in homes. “Children will learn how to plant various food crops, becoming ambassadors of change in their households. Parents should not sell all food for money but reserve enough for home consumption,” he advised.
The identified schools include Kichwamba, Kaboyo, Kinyakende, New Valley Junior, and Hope Primary School. Through these initiatives, Kabarole District leaders and nutrition advocates aim to create a sustainable solution to the pressing issue of child malnutrition, ensuring that every child has access to the nutrition they need for healthy growth and academic success.