Nutrition & Sanitation
Where We Started
When
we first came to the village, we were stunned to be face to face with such
pitiful human suffering. It was beyond our comprehension to realize how a child
could survive and grow to maturity in such dire circumstance. It seemed every
child was shivering with cold, dressed in filthy rags, usually only a thin
ragged
t-shirt, nothing else. They all had infected eyes, ears and noses. Most men
had no shoes and I don’t remember a single child or woman with a pair.
The need for proper nutrition was obvious in the skeletal features and vacant eyes of everyone, the swollen bellies and reddish hair of the children. Animal and human excrement was everywhere, outside as well as on the floors of their huts, and it seemed no one tried to avoid stepping in it with bare feet. Of course, flies swarmed continually, countless ones at a time crawled on faces, legs and arms. Bits of garbage were stuck in the bushes and on pathways, occasional pieces of shoes that had literally been warn till they fell off a persons’ foot lay about, as well as torn shreds of cloth.
What
We Have Done
The diets of the villagers drastically needed to be changed from almost entirely corn and wheat to a nutritious variety that would also include vegetables and fruits. We have continually taught the importance of the mothers providing a balanced diet. We offer seeds and teach techniques to each family willing to care for small personal gardens. These are more manageable than the huge community garden of only corn that depends solely upon rainfall for water. We teach sanitation lessons that include the necessity of properly using and caring for latrines, bathing children, airing and cleaning bedding to alleviate scabies, preventing and caring for infections and diarrhea, keeping animal excrement cleaned up from pathways and homes, basic hygiene, and keeping the village cleaned up in general. We found that it was necessary to teach such basics as what germs are and how they are spread. Gaining this understanding seems to have helped villagers realize the importance of fighting germs.
We offer 5 fruit trees to any one who will commit to keeping them watered during the dry season. We print explicit picture charts for each woman to keep hanging in her home depicting the importance of using clean water, treating diarrhea, proper wound care, how germs are spread, etc. We will soon be concentrating on the importance of keeping cattle corralled. The well has eliminated many extreme cases of parasites, scabies, infections, etc. Many of the poorest villagers have been given goats to supplement their diets with milk and meat.
The Dagoo Harawaa provides free fresh drinking water and employee bonuses in the form of goats, chickens, fertilizer, etc. that provide nutrition and support the family’s efforts to become more self sufficient.
Morrell Family Charities is working to develop small “10 gallon” gardens that can be planted by individual families providing additional variety of foods year round using only 10 gallons of water per day (see "Agriculture” for more information).
Current Projects and Future Plans
1. Training. Every program within the village of hope continually provides training on proper nutrition and sanitation. These include; expeditions, medical clinic, HRCC, Youth Service and the Foresight program. Our goal is to continue to look for ways we can improve and increase the education so that the culture and customs continue to improve.
2. Women’s Group. Nutrition, understanding a balanced diet, sanitation, cross-contamination and other related areas will be a major focus for the ongoing education provided as a part of the weekly women’s group. See more information under “Education”.
3. Family Gardens. We promote each family having a personal family garden. See plans and goal listed under “Agriculture”.
4. Home Storage Containers. See information listed under “Fresh Water”.
5. Fruit Trees. See information listed under “Agriculture”.
6. Focus on Youth. If we teach the youth proper habits, the next generation will benefit greatly. The Youth group will be responsible for the planting and tending to the irrigated farmland land that will be established in the Kersa Illala Development Center, see plans for creation of this center under “Culture, Recreation and Music”. The youth group has as one of its areas of focus physical health. Annually they have a “healthy diet month” and “keeping my family healthy (sanitation) month”. During these months, there is an additional emphasis placed on proper diet, sanitation, etc.
How You Can Help: