New bicycles strengthen campaign against malnutrition in South Sudan

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

“I am very happy having this bicycle from World Vision”, says Christine James, a 22-year old community nutrition volunteer (CNV) in Lologo Primary Health Care Centre. She is one of the 32 volunteers who received the bicycles to help combat acute malnutrition in Juba communities.

“Every day I visit families and walk for around two kilometers delivering messages on proper hygiene, the COVID-19 pandemic, nutrition and feeding of young children. I also train mothers how to check for malnutrition among their own children and distribute mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) tapes used in checking for acute malnutrition by caregivers”, Christine shares.

**The newly-arrived bicycles ready for distribution to the volunteers.**

“Nowadays, the weather is very hot and local transport is expensive. I usually pay 300-500 SSP (USD1-2) to reach Lologo PHCC. Having this bicycle will help me reach out faster to many families than when i walk. I used to visit 20 households daily, but now with the bicycles I can visit up to 30”, she adds.

The CNVs are a network of volunteers who supports in the implementation of the community mobilization component of the Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) Program and other lifesaving nutrition initiatives in Juba, South Sudan’s capital city.

**Christine receiving her bicycle from Central Equatoria State’s Nutrition Coordinator Dan Kwajelole and** **Nutrition Manager Komakech Mandela.**

A total of 108439 children aged 6-59 months were screened for acute malnutrition in 2020 with the support of the CNVs, at least 2,004 were identified with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and 4,957 with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).

Over the years we have noticed significant changes brought by World Vision’s efforts in our nutrition sites even during this difficult time of COVID-19 they are with us."

All the identified cases were referred and admitted for management in Out Patient Therapeutic Program (OTP) and Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP).

Additionally, 100,359 caregivers of children aged 6-59 months were reached with Integrated Maternal Infant Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), COVID-19 and water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) awareness messages. Central Equatoria State’s Nutrition Coordinator Dan Kwajelole appreciated the partnership between the State Ministry of Health-CES and World Vision.

**Along with the other volunteers, Christine is overjoyed having the bicycle which will enable her to reach out to more families in Juba.**

“I thank World Vision for the good partnership with the State Ministry of Health. Over the years we have noticed significant changes brought by World Vision’s efforts in our nutrition sites even during this difficult time of COVID-19 they are with us here”, says Kwajelole.

“I would like to congratulate all the volunteers provided with these bicycles. Take very good care of them and reach out to as many children as possible. We want to see more changes coming through your work”, he adds.

World Vision, in partnership with the State Ministry of Health-CES, UNICEF, the World Food Programme and World Vision Hong Kong, implements the lifesaving nutrition interventions in Juba Urban.

**Central Equatoria State’s Nutrition Coordinator Dan Kwajelole encouraged the volunteers to take care of the bicycles and to be more active in their work to help children in South Sudan.**

Story by Komakech Mandela, Juba Urban Nutrition Manager I Photos by Juba Nutrition Team