Sparking Conversations on Food Security: Nutrition Dialogues Promote Reflection Among Children in Angola
The Child Protection team of the ANGEL school feeding project (The Angola Nutrition for Growth, Education and Learning), supported by the PAT-II project team, conducted the first session of the Nutrition Dialogues yesterday in Huíla province, at a school in Lubango.
The workshop aimed to engage children in discussions about nutrition and gather their opinions on the subject. The WVA Communication & Advocacy team provided training to ensure the activity was implemented with a dynamic and playful methodology.
More than 20 children were able to express themselves and provide valuable insights into their knowledge and challenges regarding food access. Most students indicated they have some understanding of nutrition, but the economic reality at home often prevents them from enjoying balanced meals every day.
The topic of school feeding emerged as a significant point, reinforcing its importance in the students' routines. They agreed that school meals positively encourage them to learn and attend school, in addition to increasing the number of daily meals they receive.
Our parents can't always afford to buy nutritious food.
The Nutrition Dialogues are part of a global program to listen to children and adults about nutrition, presenting different realities and suggesting improvements to governments through advocacy actions. These suggestions will be presented at the Nutrition for Growth Summit in France next March, where governments will commit to ensuring food security for their populations.
The ANGEL project, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and implemented by World Vision Angola, aims to improve literacy among school-age children and promote good health and nutrition practices in the municipalities and provinces of Benguela, Cunene, and Huíla, benefiting around 100,000 students by 2029.
The PAT-II project, funded by the World Bank, coordinated by the Ministry of Education, and implemented by UNFPA in partnership with World Vision Angola, aims to benefit more than 130,000 students in ten provinces, focusing on girls' empowerment and sexual and reproductive health for all.