Free distribution of soybean milk for malnourished children - Sustainable Lifestyle Challenge by Sofonie Dala - DAY 3

 Good morning ladies and gentlemen. A very warm welcome to the 3rd day of our Sustainable Lifestyle Challenge!

 Our everyday motto is: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food"

Malnutrition is one of the main causes of child death in Angola. Children, with weaker bodies and health, are more vulnerable and suffer seriously from hunger. 

Therefore, the objective of this campaign is to distribute soybean flour and soybean milk as protein quality diet to improve nutritional status of malnourished children.

                                

The anatomy of a problem

In Angola many children continue to suffer from problems associated with malnutrition, lack of water, health, or protection. Malnutrition, a direct consequence of poverty, is a serious and troubling problem in Angola. Families can’t give their body as much food as it needs.

Malnutrition is the 7 disease that kills the most in Angola and it is estimated that 46 children die of malnutrition every day in the country.  Southern and central Angola are facing one of the worst climate shocks in recent years, including alternating droughts and floods. Vulnerable populations use untreated wastewater for consumption, such as stagnant and unprotected pond water, where animals drink and defecate, and rural populations seek water that is dangerous to drink, cook and feed their animals. 

Moreover, droughts, limited access to safe drinking water, and increased food insecurity also have a significant impact on the health and nutrition of the population, especially for children under 5.

The increase in malnutrition arising due to the coronavirus pandemic is expected to cause nearly 170,000 additional child deaths in the next two years.

Malnutrition and Poverty

Poverty accounts for the majority of malnutrition cases in children. Over 40% of Angolans live below the poverty line. This in turn creates a high rate of malnutrition, specifically in children who are more susceptible to the consequences of extreme poverty. Malnutrition is the main cause of child death, which the high infant mortality rate.

One can further break the causes of malnutrition down into food insecurity, unhealthy household conditions and inadequate health care. All of these causes tend to lead back to the overarching problem of poverty. Moreover, the potential causes of malnutrition in children are a result of both socio-economic and political factors in Angola.

The number of malnourished children is currently increasing with more than 2.4 million people and severe malnutrition in Angola affecting 85,000 children since 2019.

How To Unlock Positive Change In Angola’s Food System?

Our major task is to develop a simplified systems map to grasp and visualize the interconnections of different challenges: poverty in rural, local communities, education, malnutrition in children, agriculture and the role of governments and big corporations, all being part of the Angolan food system.

Angola ranks as number one for countries that have the weakest commitment to fighting malnutrition in children. This goes to show how malnutrition is a critical issue for Angolan children, which requires more attention. 68 per 1,000 live births is the mortality rate for children under 5 and 38% of children under 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition in Angola. In addition, more than 40 children die daily before even reaching this age, meaning thousands of children don’t get to celebrate their fifth birthday. Overall, an Angolan child is 84 times more likely to die before reaching their fifth birthday than in Luxembourg. Reasons range from malnutrition, poor sanitation and hygiene to contaminated water, amongst others.

Design your own meal

A healthy eating plan: Emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. Limits saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To improve the nutritional status of malnourished under five children further intervention is needed in terms of education and training on soybean-based diet formulation.

FUTURE RESEARCH

More research should be done to increase the data base on soybean research in Angola and contribute to further development of improved products to combat malnutrition.

#AnatomyOfAction

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#ProteinSwaps

It’s DAY 3! Did you know locally grown food preserves genetic diversity and benefits the environment and wildlife?

#GrowYourOwn food and connect to where it comes from in order to save money and to reduce transport, packaging, and food waste.

If you can’t grow your own, source local produce and find your nearest farmer’s market.