In Blantyre rural, men led by their Group Village Head, are championing breastfeeding and nutrition initiatives. JOSEPHINE CHINELE writes.
Group Village Headman (GVH) Laiti of Traditional Authority Machinjiri in Blantyre became famous when he requested a couple to clear a graveyard for ignoring breastfeeding of their child at recommended times.
Since this incident in 2020, families have taken breastfeeding seriously in his area.
“I don’t want a village of stunted, malnourished and sick children. Such things disrupt development as people get busy with taking care of the sick and even funerals,” Laiti said.
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Two other young women, aged 20 and 22, faced similar actions from the chief for ignoring breastfeeding of their babies. They were asked to clear 500-metre patches in the village.
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In this fast-paced era, most young women mind more about their body outlook, GVH Laiti states. “They were not interested in breastfeeding their babies or taking care of their nutritional needs. They just wandered around the village,” Laiti explained.
The GVH said he received reports from the area’s care group— local team tasked to encourage breastfeeding and monitor the provision of nutritional foods to children.
“I called the ‘defaulters’ to enlighten them that shunning breastfeeding is child abuse. I instructed them to do some work in the community to discourage others from doing the same,” he stressed.
“One of the women who defaulted on breastfeeding is married. So, together with her husband, they were instructed to clear a graveyard,” the chief added.
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The chief said he encourages men to support nursing wives through the provision of nutritious food in their homes.
Samuel Mpotola, a decorated male champion promoter in Laiti Village, testifies to the work the chief does in their community to influence men to support the nutrition of their children.
“I was involved in my child’s life from day one. I actually started when my wife was expectant. I accompanied her to antenatal clinics, where they taught us everything about nutrition, hygiene and the importance of exclusive breastfeeding,” Mpotola said.
He observes that few men support their expectant and nursing wives, as he noticed during the wife’s second antenatal visit, where out of all expectant women that day, only six were accompanied by husbands to the antenatal clinic.
“They have an impression that this is a woman’s thing.
“However, if a man takes interest in a child’s health, there are many benefits, including the prevention of child stunting and other ailments that may affect the child for the rest of his or her life and also become parents’ burdens,” he said.
Mpotola revealed that at times he sacrifices to help with household chores to give his wife a chance to take care of their baby, including breastfeeding.
“The major challenge I have faced is food scarcity due to the harsh weather pattern this year, but I am currently irrigating vegetables,” he said.
Cluster leader for Tikondane Care group, Janet Dulani, said before the care groups and male champions were formed and identified, respectively, the area had many malnourished children as women lacked support on breastfeeding best practices and how to prepare food according to their nutritional values.
“We have also been reporting hesitant nursing mothers to the GVH, who influences them to adopt breastfeeding best practices. With these efforts, we are now doing better than before,” she proudly said.
Disease Control Surveillance Assistant of Mapazi catchment area under South Lunzu Health Centre, Felix Kankhono, said he holds sessions with pregnant women from three months old pregnancies and that they are followed up until they deliver.
“Among other things, women are encouraged to breastfeed their newly born babies in the first 30 minutes after delivery. We also encourage male involvement from pregnancy,” said Kankhono, who also does door-to-door visits to households with pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.
“I monitor them and continue to furnish them with important information. When the man is not around, I ensure I visit on the day he will be home,” Mapazi explained.
Farmers Union of Malawi, using funds from the German government’s KfW through United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, is supporting implementation of a Malawi Government-led multi-sectoral nutrition programme, which is encouraging breastfeeding and good nutrition practices across Malawi.
The steps taken to promote child breastfeeding and nutrition in GVH Laiti’s area well align with the theme of the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week, which is commemorated in the first week of every August.
The theme is ‘Closing The Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All’.
This year, the commemoration celebrates breastfeeding mothers in all their diversity, throughout their breastfeeding journeys, while showcasing the ways families, societies, communities and health workers can support every breastfeeding mother.
GVH Laiti says he is happy to see more men supporting their wives to ensure appropriate breastfeeding and good nutrition for their children.—Unicef
