Khant is growing strong and healthy with better nutrition
Khant, 22-months-old, is healthy and growing strong. His mother, Nyo, 28, participated in World Vision’s Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Programme while pregnant with Khant.
Nyo did not have proper antenatal care or eat nutritious food while she was pregnant with her first two children. In addition, they did not receive exclusive breastfeeding, proper complementary feeding or their complete immunizations. Hence, they were not as healthy as Khant.
“I had never heard about the importance of antenatal and postnatal care for mothers when I was expecting my first 2 children. I did not understand the importance of immunizations and nutrition until World Vision started working in our community,” says Nyo.
Plots of rubber plantations surrounded Nyo’s village. She lives with her family in a small village in Palaw Township, Thannitharyi Region, the southern-most part of Myanmar. Most of the families in the village work odd jobs on rubber and betel plantations. Nyo also works as a casual labourer on a rubber plantation while her husband works at a car workshop as a mechanic.
“World Vision Myanmar initiated the maternal, child health and nutrition programme for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and mothers of under-five children in Nyo’s village in 2014 with funding support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).”
“Since then, I have attended maternal, child health and nutrition awareness sessions conducted by World Vision. The community health volunteers also supported me to go to the Sub-Rural Health Center to receive iron tablets and a tetanus vaccination,” shares Nyo.
“I learned that I was not eating properly when I was expecting my first two children. But as for my third child, I ate nutritious foods and practiced what I learned so that there was no problems during delivery,” Nyo adds.
“I fed Khant only breastmilk until he was 6-months-old. He got all the vaccinations that a child should get too. He is healthier than my other children,” says Nyo. “I also shared these experiences to other mothers and now the behaviours of mothers in my community have been improved. They are starting to provide exclusive breastfeeding to their children too."
“I am glad that I can cook nutritious foods for my children," says Nyo.
With World Vision’s support, the community has learned the importance of maternal, newborn and child health.
Grant Profile
Grant project name: Myanmar Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition Project
Funded by: Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) - Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP)
Time frame: 3.5 years (October 2014 - June 2018)
Purpose and Objective: The aim of the Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition in Tanintharyi Region project is to assist communities to improve the health and nutrition of mothers and young children in 176 villages in five townships of Tanintharyi Region, Myanmar. The project has a combination of initiatives: strengthening the government health services and complimenting them with an effective community health system (in line with government policy), which includes Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) who promotes knowledge and awareness about child health and nutrition. The project also improves sanitation and access to safe drinking water.
