Launching Ceremony of Nutrition Project

Keeping in view the extreme poverty, lack of resources and lack of knowledge among the pregnant and lactating mothers regarding mal-nutrition and other factors leading to the mal-nutrition, the Riverside Development Organization with the support of International Rescue Committee (IRC) and in collaboration with NARI Foundation, Medical Emergency Relief Foundation (MERF) and Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) has launched Nutrition Project in Sindh and in its first phase project is being launched in district Sukkur (October 2024-May 2025), which emphasis on rural areas of Rohri taluka including, 62 villages in Union Council Patni, Loung Bhatti and Ali Wahan. During surveys in these villages, around 3666 beneficiaries including, pregnant and lactating women and children between the age of 5 months to 59 months. Purpose of this project is not only to create awareness among the pregnant and lactating women about nutritional values and what diet they should take during the period of pregnancy and lactation. It is mentioned that, during the process of survey, the pregnant and lactating women and mal-nourished children will be referred to district head quarter hospitals, taluka head quarter hospitals, rural health centers, basis health units and government dispensaries to overcome mal-nutrition. The teams of RDO (nutrition program) is in constant touch with the focal persons in different villages to keep them alive about the progress of the project.

In this regard launching ceremony was held at the head office of Riverside Development Organization in Sukkur, which was attended by large number of officials from sister organization and government officials. According warm welcome to the participants, the Executive Director RDO Munawar Gill thanked them for sparing time from their precious and hectic schedule and briefed them about the nutrition project. In his address the Executive Director of NARI Foundation Anwar Mahar shed light on the nutrition project and apprised the participants about their earlier projects including, women empowerment, child protection and much more. The Program Director RDO Nadeem Yousuf in his address informed that, our nutrition project will target pregnant and lactating women and children below the age of five. He said, in those villages where we are working on nutrition, we already have our Self Help Groups, which will be of great help for carrying this project. Sajjid Iqbal from MERF lauding the efforts of RDO and NARI said that, PPHI, Health department and even WHO are our partners for strengthening and capacity building of the communities. Others who spoke on the occasion are Jalaluddin Rind from PPHI, Dr. Amir from district health office and others.