See the latest child nutrition measures in three countries – Church News

As part of the charity’s global initiative for women and children, nutritional screenings are taking place in meetinghouses of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in many parts of the world, most recently in Ghana, Guatemala and the Philippines.

The global initiative aims to achieve the greatest possible impact by investing money in efforts that particularly improve the lives of women and children under five – in the areas of maternal and newborn care, child nutrition, immunization and education worldwide.

In cooperation with local health authorities, the aid organization runs a program that helps church members in many parts of the world receive support, access community services and learn about proper nutrition for their children – especially children under five.

Local stake or district councils and ministering brothers and sisters play a central role in efforts to improve health, for example through health screenings in Church buildings, educational events, and home visits.

Camille N. Johnson, president of the aid organization, said the first five years of life are crucial. “That’s when proper nutrition is critical. We need to feed these children so their brains develop properly,” she said recently at a church service in Guatemala.

The member-centered portion of the worldwide initiative began several years ago in Guatemala and the Philippines. President Johnson said Church members in those countries learned a great deal from their early participation, and now others are benefiting as the initiative has expanded to 17 more countries.

On May 31, hundreds of mothers and children of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and community supporters gathered at a meetinghouse in Patzicía, Guatemala, to participate in a nutrition screening and education event organized by local relief agency leaders, according to a news release from ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

The children were examined to determine the extent of their malnutrition, including upper arm measurements and weight and height checks. This enabled parents to better assess their children’s nutritional status. Parents were given advice on measures to improve their health and to develop nutritional plans for their families.

“The collaboration between the Church and local health workers is making a real difference in the lives of these children,” said President Johnson. “Mothers have been educated on proper nutrition, children have been examined, and I have been so pleased to see the progress they are making.”

A member-centered child nutrition initiative follows Christ’s example of caring for his children and advances the work of redemption and ascension, she said.

And as Relief Society sisters help women and children in their own communities, they are part of the worldwide effort—as they extend the Savior’s help to others, they themselves find help in Him.

Nutrition clinic in Ghana

A nutrition counseling session was held in a stake in Accra, Ghana, on June 1. Children were weighed and measured to determine if they were at risk of malnutrition, and women were taught about nutrition and how to prepare healthy meals.

Muwusi Kumah Buabeng brought the youngest of her three children.

“I am here as part of the child nutrition programme to check on the well-being of my little one – how she is doing, how much she weighs and to check her nutrition,” said Buabeng.

She said of her children: “I want them to be independent and self-sufficient.”

Emma Owusu-Ansah is a Relief Society leader and helped organize the event by bringing together local experts.

“We have so many mothers who may not know how to feed their children properly – not because they don’t know, but because they probably can’t afford to feed their children properly,” she said.

She and other local church leaders have met to find ways to help at-risk children. The day after a meeting, they have made home visits and provided families with more information about nutrition. This is where the ministering brothers and sisters can be a crucial part of the initiative.

“The Savior had a mission, and I think His mission was that we are all one and that we should love our neighbor as ourselves,” Owusu-Ansah said.

Nutritional screening in the Philippines

On May 25, the Church collaborated with health officials in the Philippines province of La Union to conduct a child nutrition survey at the Lingsat Parish Church Hall.

Parents brought 65 young children for comprehensive health check-ups and nutritional counseling. The comprehensive check-up included weight and height measurements, medical consultations and nutritional counseling by the provincial health team.

Volunteers helped with the screening process and health officials provided the children with vitamins and medications when needed.

The provincial health team was led by Dr. William Dacanay, who thanked the Church for organizing the event and sharing its mission with friends of other faiths.

He stressed the importance of such collaborations in improving the province’s health programs. “The provincial government is happy and grateful for the church’s support in health initiatives,” said Dr. Dacanay.

Josue G. Jundos, stake president of San Fernando La Union, Philippines, also thanked the local government and other officials for their support.

The child nutrition initiative in the Philippines began with a few interventions in 2018 and has led to a significant improvement in the health of malnourished children.