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Page 23
Volume 05
Journal of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics
ISSN: 2472-1921
JOINT EVENT
June 17-18, 2019 London, UK
Nutrition World 2019
Euro Obesity 2019
June 17-18, 2019
&
26
th
World Nutrition Congress
15
th
Euro Obesity and Endocrinology Congress
Reducing stunting through care group methodology in urban slums: A case of Nairobi, Kibera slums
John Otieno
FEED the Children, Kenya
Statement of the Problem:
Globally in 2016, 22.9% of children under the age five of years suffered from child
stunting. Child Growth Standards median show a restriction of a child’s potential growth. Child stunting can
happen in the first 1000 days after conception and is related to many factors including socioeconomic status, dietary
intake, infections, maternal age, nutritional status, micronutrient deficiencies and the environment. It is one of the
underlying causes for death of 2.2 million children below five years every year worldwide.
Methodology &Theoretical Orientation:
The CG approach is a community-based strategy for promoting behavior
change. A CG comprises of 10–15 community based volunteers that fortnightly, meet with project staff for training
and supportive supervision. It’s different from typical mother’s groups in that each volunteer is responsible for bi-
monthly meeting with 10–15 of her neighbors, sharing, learning and facilitating behavior change at the household
level. Behavior change is enhanced through peer support. In Kibera one of the largest slums in Africa adopted the
care group approach which was geared to reduce stunting through promoting Exclusive Breastfeeding appropriate
complimentary feeding and essential hygiene actions.
Findings:
Nationally the stunting rate of children below five years in Kenya is at 26%, Kibera was at 33% when
the implementation started in 2015. An impact assessment and midterm evaluation done through a Standardized
Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transition survey (SMART) elucidates a quantitative reduction of stunted
growth among children had reduced in the second year of project implementation to 16.2%. Anecdotal feedback
from the beneficiary neighbor women significantly showed how effective care group has changed their knowledge,
attitude, beliefs and practice towards feeding and hygiene practices in the informal settlements.
Conclusion & Significance:
A child is said to be stunted when he/she is too short for their age. If a child is stunted
before the age of five, it can slow down the growth of her body and mind. Stunted children with deficiencies of
iodine and iron may suffer irreversible brain damage, impeding them from reaching their complete developmental
potential. To achieve tangible reduction of stunting and adoption of key nutrition to care group is the way to go as
an appropriate methodology in urban and rural settings. Since it has a multiplying effect to a larger population. The
behaviours promoted in this model require minimal financial resources to ensure the practices are adopted due to
its unique structure.
Biography
John Otieno has his expertise in Nutrition, WASH, Livelihoods and health programing. His passion driven nutrition advocacy, Policy development and health
systems strengthening for the last 7 years has put him at better place to head nutrition and implement one of the largest and heavily Funded US AID HIV/
Nutrition Care and treatment program-APHIA-Plus, from 2012-2018.Currently he is the food and nutrition pillar Manager at FEED the Children, an anti-hunger
organization based in Kenya, Africa. He is also a board chair for Scaling up Nutrition Civil Society Alliance- Kenya. He has worked in different diverse complex,
humanitarian and developmental environments, developing key nutrition strategies and approaches revolving around nutrition demonstration centers for people
living with HIV sustainability methodology for Community Health Units and Nutrition Advocacy for adolescents. He is aspiring to be world’s leading nutrition
programmer.
johnotienootieno2014@gmail.comJohn Otieno, J Clin Nutr Diet 2019, Volume 05