Fight Against Malnutrition: Kukah Centre Engages Religious Leaders
The Kukah Centre (TKC) has partnered with religious leaders to advocate for better nutrition practices, aiming to help Nigerians navigate economic challenges and combat malnutrition. This was revealed during a one-day strategic dialogue on nutrition held in Abuja, themed “Faith Influencers Leading the Way: Transforming Nutrition for a Healthier Nigeria.”
The event, organized by TKC in collaboration with the Sultan Foundation and supported by the World Bank through the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project, highlighted the critical role of faith leaders in addressing Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis.
Fr. Atta Barkindo, Executive Director of TKC, emphasized the importance of involving religious leaders in the initiative, given their significant influence over their congregations. “Religious leaders have a significant influence on their congregations, making them ideal advocates for promoting positive change,” Barkindo stated. He stressed that proper resource management and a shift in value systems are crucial in tackling malnutrition, noting, “Sometimes, the issue is not lack of resources but improper management of finances and the value system of people. The choice of food matters a lot.”
Ms. Anna Swanta, Project Officer at TKC, noted that the ANRiN initiative, launched in 2018, aims to expand access to affordable nutrition services for vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under five. “This strategic dialogue sought to leverage the influence of faith leaders to promote better nutritional practices and advocate for policy improvements aimed at addressing Nigeria’s alarming malnutrition rates,” Swanta said.
She further highlighted that 37% of Nigerian children under five suffer from stunted growth due to poor nutrition, with rates rising to 47% among older children. The involvement of religious leaders is seen as a pivotal step in reducing these figures and improving maternal and child health outcomes.
Ms. Asabe Ndahi, TKC’s Project Manager, underscored the role of leadership and experienced mothers in sharing nutritional wisdom with younger generations, while also promoting value re-orientation and accountability. “The faith influencers will launch new advocacy campaigns at both state and local government levels to raise awareness and push for concrete action on malnutrition,” Ndahi added.
TKC pledged continued support to ensure the strategies discussed during the dialogue are effectively implemented, with outcomes shared with government agencies and development partners to foster broader collaboration.
