They planted avocado and mango fruit trees for households in Nyange Sector which beneficiaries said will help improve malnutrition among their children.
“Avocado and mango trees are not common in our area. We will add fruits on the food we serve children to have a balanced diet and improve nutrition,” Pelagie Bazubagira, 67, a resident of Nyange Sector, said.
The Executive Secretary of Nyange Sector, Gaudence Mukasano commended the Ministry of Youth that organized the activity and said this will help accelerate strategies to fight child malnutrition in the sector.
“Households in this sector have no fruits. The trees planted will contribute to enhancing the provision of a balanced diet and fight stunting among children which is due to malnutrition,” Mukasano said.
According to the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in 2015, child stunting rates stood at 48% in Ngororero District.
The In charge of Youth Development in the Ministry of Youth, Benoît Ngabonziza said since the youth make the largest part of the Rwandan population, they have been mobilized to get involved in planting fruit trees.
The trees planting exercise which was organized by the Ministry of the Youth in partnership with World Vision will be scaled to other districts to intensify the fight against malnutrition and stunting among children.
The DHS 2015 indicated that child stunting rated at 38% in Rwanda down from 51% in 2005 and 44% in 2010 while 9 percent were underweight in 2015.
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