Global Partnership ProjectProject Report
NPCS Nepal Project Report 1
The Wesley Zaidan, in collaboration with NPCS (Nutrition Promotion and Consultancy Service) and Misean Cara, has been implementing a community nutrition improvement project in the Kanchanrup Rural Municipality of Saptari District, Nepal, since January 2022.
NPCS is a nonprofit organization operating within Nepal, dedicated to improving the well-being of women and children through nutrition enhancement. Based in Kathmandu, they have been actively working for many years, collaborating with communities across Nepal through an approach centered on education and meals. Their goal is to enhance the nutritional status of children under 5 years old and pregnant or postpartum women, aiming to foster long-term changes at the household and community levels.
The Wesley Zaidan specifically aims to achieve the following goals in collaboration with NPCS for the project
- Improve the knowledge and practice of nutrition and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) among youth through training and activities in schools.
- Promote the production and consumption of various nutritious foods by women and their families.
- Enable women and children to have more frequent access to high-quality nutrition and healthcare services.
- Enhance dietary diversity through school gardens, ensuring minimum standards of nutrition.
- Empower students to become role models for change in schools, homes, and the wider community.
- Emphasize the continuation of activities even after the project ends, aiming for sustainable outcomes.
Mothers learning about nutritional foods from program staff
The main changes brought about by the Community Nutrition Improvement Project (CNP) in collaboration with NPCS from January to December 2022 are as follows:
- Mothers have gained an understanding of the importance of growth monitoring, leading to an increase in the number of children receiving growth monitoring.
- Malnourished children are now being identified at the appropriate time, with severe cases being referred to medical facilities and mild cases participating in home-based recovery programs. After counseling and evaluation, the malnourished children have shown signs of recovery.
- Local women health volunteers accompany mothers to growth monitoring gatherings and provide assistance in nutrition-related learning within the community.
- During Nutrition Week in September 2022, mothers learned how to prepare nutritious meals.
- Trained mothers are adopting healthy nutritional behaviors and providing meals from the three food groups to their children.
- Mothers now have an understanding of proper methods for the disposal of children’s feces.
- Four out of five schools have adopted a healthy snack policy.
- According to field staff, during workshops conducted for youth at schools, students displayed enthusiasm in learning about nutrition.
Workshops for Youth on Nutrition Improvement.
The project was in its first year, and despite setting high goals, NPCS successfully completed all activities. Mothers now recognize the importance of growth monitoring and regularly bring their children for monitoring.
While the project has been progressing well, there are challenges such as community members expecting direct financial or material support from the project and the discrepancy between the number of NPCS staff and the large number of beneficiaries. However, we plan to continue working collaboratively with local health authorities and have discussions regarding responsibilities and resource allocation. We will continue to cooperate with the community to advance the project.