URDT Holistic Approach to Improved Nutrition in Uganda
Enabling the people of Uganda and Kibaale in particular to choose a holistic approach to being healthy and recognizing the contribution of good nutrition to total well being. The organization enables the communities to recognize the values of traditional organic foods especially millet & vegetables like African spinach, pumpkin leaves
First Name
Mwalimu
Last Name
Musheshe
Website
Organization
URDT
Country
Uganda
Organization Name
URDT
Organization Website
Organization Phone
+256 414 256 704
Organization Address
P.O Box 16253, KAMPALA
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Organization Country
Uganda
Name Your Project
URDT Holistic Approach to Improved Nutrition in Uganda
Country your work focuses on
Uganda
Describe Your Idea
Enabling the people of Uganda and Kibaale in particular to choose a holistic approach to being healthy and recognizing the contribution of good nutrition to total well being. The organization enables the communities to recognize the values of traditional organic foods especially millet & vegetables like African spinach, pumpkin leaves
Website URL
What makes your idea unique?
It is unique because it moves the rural people from being reactive to poor health to being creators of their good health by recognizing that balance diet is the basis for good health.
Utilizing the principles of the creative process and systems thinking in promoting household well-being. It is unique because it moves the rural people from being reactive to poor health to being creators of their good health by recognizing that balance diet is the basis for good health.
Utilizing the principles of the creative process and systems thinking in promoting household well-being.
Promoting production, preparation and consumption of traditional organic vegetables, fruits and other carbohydrate.
Equipping the communities with technologies for processing and storage to increase shelf life of vegetables and fruits.
Enabling the rural people to understand the food values and their sources for a healthy body.
Combining income generation, environmental concerns and improved sanitation and hygiene in nutritional programmes.
Enabling the people to transcend traditional, cultural and often personal prejudices against certain foods.
From the inter-connectedness of our integrated programmes, URDT uses a holistic approach to ensure all underlying conditions necessary to promote right nutrients put in place by addressing all the factors leading to poor nutrition.
In this case we address the cause of the disparity between the amount of food and nutrients that the body needs and the amount that it is receiving. Therefore, we promote and encourage the inclusion of nutritious foods lacking to be part of the normal diet of the community members we serve through different interventions i.e.
By using the Community Media for broadcasting ( Kagadi- Kibaale Community Radio ) and using nutrition specialists as part of our extension work for narrow casting to ensure the practicability and implementation of nutrition programs at the household level
Nutrition is in the
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
1. Infant mortality rate due to deficiency diseases among children below 5 years has reduced from 144 to 88 out of 1000
2. Nutrional deficiency chronical diseases have not come up.
3. School absentism is reduced by 40%
4. There is sustainable supply of vegetables and fruits at the household level
5. Increased emergency of traditonal foods which were almost disappearing
6. Value attached to nutritious foods has increased their market value.
7. People's participation in radio programmes and testimonies they give about nutrition.
8.Increased establishment of kitchen gardens around most homesteads.
9. There is a linkage between productivity and health, income and nutrition and sanitation, farming and environment.
10.There is a big shift from the traditional taboos and attitudes. For example, in many cultures where women were not eating chicken, eggs & pork is no longer the case now.
Problem
The project is addressing the challenges of availability of nutritious foods at the household level in qualitative and quatintative terms. There are challenges of consumption more carbohydrates that proteins, vitamins and minerals. Whereas in some areas foods that would constitute a balanced diet may be in abundance, the preparation especially in cooking may denature the foods hence destroying the nutritonal value. In many communities, because of taboos, access to thse foods becomes constrained especially in gender terms. The project is also addressing the issue of mal-absorption and assimilation due to intestinal infestations. People may have food but because of parasites this food is not available for good growth and vitality. Dependence on nature and rain fed agriculture create cycles of plenty and shortages. The project is introducing technologies for increased production, processing and storage. The project is addressing issues of income generation to increase options for accessibility of nutritious foods. Important is the health concerns hence the promotion of organic farming.
Actions
The project has a methodology for enabling the people to move from being reactive in the problem orientation to being creators of circumstances that ensure good supply of food hence good health. we call this the "Visionary Approach" to life.
1. Particpatory Action Research to identify with the communities their nutritional needs
2. Using appreciative inquiry to identify the traditional foods they recognized as nutritiously beneficial and promoting their production.
3. Training community based health workers and animators in methods of training community memebrs in nutrition and related health issues
4. Setting up demonstrations at URDT demo farm and transfering the technologies to the communities through farmer scholars and health workers.
5. Enabling the farmers to develop own seeds and other planting materials
6. Enabling the communities to carry out income generating projects so that they have the propensity to consume nutritious foods.
7. Introducing nutrition classes in institutions of learning.
8. Enabling the people to appreciate the linkage between productivity, health and propsperity so that they make choices in favour of their health.
Results
1. Participatory Action Research enables the people to research as they produce results and own the process.
2. People knowing the traditional wisdom that was attached to the traditional foods enables them to respect themselves and appreciate the endowements that were getting lost
3. Trained 260 community health animators that live and work in the communities as part of capacity building to the communities and ownership.
4 A variety of technologies like water harvesting, micro irrigation, production of improved varieties in animal and crop. Balcon gardening, pest and disease control and greenhouse gardening has led to sustainable
availability of nutritious foods in 70% of the households in Kibaale district
5. Farmers are planting local varieties of vegetables from their own seed banks.
6. There are many local markets selling and disposing all varieties of fruits and vegetables.
7. In the homes of more than 240 households, the school children have helped their parents produce and eat a variety of vegetables and fruits.
8. The school going children exhibit health and vitality.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
First year, the organization will focus on social mobilization for participatory action research to identify nutritional needs and using appreciative inquiry to identify community strength in the area of nutrition on which to build the project.
Second year will be dedicated to consciousness raising; looking at visioning, recognizing current realities as relates to nutrition and health, appreciating the gap between desired states and what was, in order to develop action plans to address nutritional needs.
Third year will be dedicated to training village health animators, created the demonstration farm at URDT in a variety of technologies, carry out demonstrations in preparing nutritious foods, recognizing causes of mal-absorption and recommending for remedial actions including de-worming.
How we address malabsorption: recognizing the causes for example people with intestinal infestation caused by a variety of worms. We use two methods; de-worming using western drugs and encouraging people to eat foods rich in zinc e.g. pumpkin leaves and seeds. There are those who eat food in excess and it accumulates in the skin especially the stomach and torso areas. We encourage drinking fructose based drinks, eating African bitter tomatoes and exercises. We encourage people to steam their vegetables and instead of frying with oil, eat vegetable proteins instead of fatty meats like pork, bacon, ham, sausages and dairy products like cheese, milk and heavy creams. We promote eating lean meat, local chicken and fish. Where meat is eaten they first smoke it and cook it in groundnut sauce which denatures the fats
Income generation: URDT has introduced technologies that enable the farmers to produce for the market throughout the year. These include green houses, small irrigation systems, balcony gardening and double digging for home gardens. The farmers are trained in entrepreneurship and selection of high value enterprises like pepper/chili, sesame, and other oil seeds for income generation. URDT has partnership with exporters and through contract farming, the farmers are assured of ready market and good prices under the Fair Trade arrangement
What would prevent your project from being a success?
1. At the household level strong traditional beliefs in some communities may deny some members of the family to access certain foods in the name of taboos. Also the limited capacity to deal with vagaries of nature. Low adoption technologies to increase production and maintaining higher shelf life. Competition between production of traditional cash crops and nutritonal foods.
At the community level, poor relationships between the cattle owners and the cultivators as livestock could destroy the crops. There is also lack of management of the commons like forests and swamps which may lead to either prolonged droughts or heavy floods. In some communities, unemployed youth may steal vegetables and fruits for sale hence discouraging the farmers. There can be a break out of disease and pests.
At the institutional level, there can be financial constraints due to credit crunch. Turn over of subject specialists can affect the progress of the project.
How many people will your project serve annually?
101‐1000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
What stage is your project in?
Operating for more than 5 years
In what country?
Uganda
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme, URDT
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
1. Non-monetary relationship with NGOs-in areas of networking, information sharing and solidarity in policy advocacy
2. With business-promotion of the URDT work, donations of materials and equipment and solidarity in policy influence.
3. With the government-legistration and legitimazation; supplementary in service delivery, protection and security, micro and macro economic environment
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1. The project has growth path and growth curve from infancy through adoloscence and prime. Beyond the stage, the project would die. Each stage requires certain sets of activities and human resource to advance the project beyond the lower level stage. At this time the project is at prime level. It is important that the project retains its competitive advatange in service delivery and social mobilization to remain relevant. This is possible through periodic evaluation, integrating insights in the design and recruiting relevant subject specialists
2. The organization has to continuously work on the partnership with the communities, local facilitators, the government personnel and research instituions
3. Document the results of the project and develop good proposalds for financila support and ensure long term sustainabilty.
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
1.The URDT mission has a core element of enabling people to create for themselves health. Nutrition is one such critical component. Other projects depend on the health and vitality of the person. Therefore, it was natural that emphasis was placed on nutrition.
2. There was observable evidence that the school going children were failing their examination and children having stunted growth. Yet good nutrititon is good for growth of the body and the mind.
3. High level of poverty in the Kibaale region was linked to poor health hence low poductivity. It was necessary to turn this aroung to increase household income.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
The social innovator is Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe, the first Ashoka fellow in Uganda.
He has initiated other projects in education, technology, human rights and rural extension and education services. He is currently the CEO of Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme, URDT.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Email from Changemakers
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
 | Susan Warshauer said: The integrated approach to development explained in this entry makes enormous sense. That, combined with the fact that the work is ... about this idea. - 4 days ago read more > |
| Joel Yanowitz said: I am impressed by how they are integrating multiple factors into an integrated approach. This is in sharp contrast to many programs ... about this idea. - 17 days ago read more > |
| Alida Bakema said: Hallo there, thanks for your encouraging message. Where are you based? Do you do carry out similar projects? Anything we can learn from ... about this idea. - 19 days ago read more > |
| mst fms said: Thank you very much for this information. Good post thanks for sharing. I like this site ;) ----------- ps3 oyun satış ps3 oyun ... about this idea. - 19 days ago read more > |
| Alida Bakema said: URDT's approach to human development has results to show for! This is another example. Congratulations for the job well done on creating ... about this idea. - 22 days ago read more > |
| Martha Dolben said: I have visited URDT and seen the impressive reach of their work many times over the last 12 years. Their holistic approach is broad and ... about this idea. - 22 days ago read more > |
 | Mwalimu Musheshe updated this idea. - 76 days ago. |
 | Lanna Gerline Millien added this idea to their favorites. - 83 days ago. |
| Naveen Shakir said: This sounds like a really great initiative! Would you mind providing more information on how you address the issue of malabsorption, or ... about this idea. - 87 days ago read more > |
| Rubina Khan said: Community involvement is a key component in the success of many projects. Congratulations on your superb work in Uganda in empowering ... about this idea. - 89 days ago read more > |
Take action: |
||
|
share this entry |
add to favorites |
|
|
discuss |
||
Quick Translate:
This Entry is about:
Links:
- 601 reads