10-07-2024 | di COOPI

Burkina Faso: enriched flour production and distribution to counter malnutrition

COOPI- Cooperazione Internazionale continues to demonstrate its commitment to fight against child malnutrition in f Burkina Faso through its project " Emergency multisectoral assistance for populations affected by food and nutrition crisis in Oudalan province, Sahel region." Funded by the West and Central Africa Regional Humanitarian Fund (FHRAOC), this project aims to provide nutritional support to the most vulnerable children and their families.

One of the key interventions of this project is the production and distribution of enriched flour through collaboration with the local association M'Balla Sukaabe, which means "child support" in the Fulfulde language. This flour, composed of a mix of small millet, peanuts, niébé (beans), soybeans, dried fish, baobab powder, and other nutritious ingredients, is specifically formulated to prevent and combat malnutrition among children aged 6-23 months.

The flour produced by M'Balla Sukaabe serves for the preparation of a bouillie, a complementary food that supplements maternal breastfeeding. This nutritious mix is rich in protein, carbohydrates, lipids and essential micronutrients such as vitamins, iodine and iron. Its easy digestibility and high concentration of nutrients make it ideal for promoting children's growth and development.

The production of the enriched flour follows a meticulous process to ensure maximum quality and nutritional value. It starts with the selection and cleaning of local ingredients, followed by washing, drying and roasting of some components. Next, the ingredients are mixed in the right proportions and milled into a fine flour, which is then packaged in 2.5-kg bags.

COOPI supports its local partner M'Balla Sukaabe not only financially, covering the cost of purchasing and transporting ingredients, but also through accompaniment and technical support to staff involved in the production and distribution of the flour. This support is essential to ensure that enriched flour reaches children in targeted health facilities in the Gorom health district.

Through the distribution of the enriched flour, many children benefit from a significant improvement in their nutritional status, and vulnerable families now have an effective means of combating malnutrition.

Combating malnutrition is one of the key activities of this project, launched in September 2023, which aims to improve access to basic services in Oudalan province through multi-sectoral assistance covering health, nutrition, and protection (gender-based violence), responding to the needs of IDPs and vulnerable host communities. The project's main activities include providing medicines and medical-technical materials to health districts and distributing dignity kits to vulnerable women and girls. In addition, the project includes awareness sessions against early marriage and on the symptoms of psychosocial trauma, as well as early screening activities for cases of malnutrition.