Gorta Releases

Gorta has said that the latest figures on the global child development index are unacceptable and more needs to be done to address malnutrition in children.

In Save the Children’s annual child development index, it was found that for the first time in decade, the number of children suffering from hunger and malnutrition has risen, which in turn threatens the progress made in child health and education in the developing world.

According to the report, the proportion of acutely malnourished children grew and rising prices for food and fuel tend to exacerbate the situation. While progress was noted in other areas of development, such as education and survival rates to the age of five, the same progress cannot be seen in hunger and nutrition.

Isabella Rae, Gorta’s Senior Programme Manager said, “I am incredibly saddened at this latest report, as malnutrition in children can lead to serious developmental problems which cannot be remedied in later life. A focus on nutrition during a child’s first 1,000 days is absolutely imperative to ensure that children get the very best start possible.”

Gorta’s main focus has always been food and water security as this forms the fundamental basis to establishing sustainable food systems. Hunger is a grave problem across sub-Saharan Africa and it is essential to tackle this appropriately, so that progress can be made in improving people’s lives and livelihoods.

Rae added,”An important element in many of our programmes is mother and child nutrition and training in healthcare and life skills. For example, we work in Butare in Rwanda on a programme centered on increasing food availability. This includes nutritional status monitoring and treatment, increased food production, training of volunteer nutrition workers and training of volunteer agricultural workers. There is also a primary school health education programmes to ensure that children have access to healthcare education.”

In response to the development index William Keyah, Gorta’s Regional Programme Manager for East Africa said “I think the report confirms a documented proof of what is on the ground with regard to children.  I ask myself if the UK is 9th on the list of the best place to be as a child then where is Kenya?  When I was travelling by road recently, I was saddened to see two children picking up and eating bits of roasted groundnuts and maize grains that had dropped on the roadside.  The children continued to follow through a drainage (water way) where rain water seemed to have collected several of these grains and continued picking them for food unperturbed. The situation is real.   Malnutrition is evidently wide spread. “

Gorta continues to work towards their vision where there is no hunger or poverty. Agricultural development is a key part of Gorta’s integrated approach in promoting sustainable rural development programmes and investment in agriculture is critical in mitigating against higher levels of under nutrition. Support for smallholder farmers as well as training, awareness raising and the empowerment of women, is also central to ensuring adequate nutrition and healthcare.

For more information go to www.gorta.org

Contact:

Deirdre Kingston/Adrienne Dunne, Gorta – 01 661 5522