Creating a system for sustainable nutritional improvement and food security for primary school children in rural areas of Sierra Leone

Abstract

According to a report on the state of the world’s children in 2017 by UNICEF, the average life expectancy in Sierra Leone is 52 years of age and the under 5 mortality rate is 114 per 1000 live births. A deficiency in micronutrients due to poverty is thought to lead to a decline in resistance to infectious diseases. Therefore, this project aims to create a system for sustainable nutritional improvement and food security for primary school children in rural areas of Sierra Leone. We used the moringa tree, which contains a lot of micronutrients in its leaves, and have conducted activities such as establishing and managing a moringa school garden by teachers and children with the cooperation of community people at five primary schools since April 2019. After six months, vegetables and moringa leaves harvested from the moringa school gardens were added to school meals. As the result of local NGO and stakeholders playing a leading role, the activities were continued with the motivated participation of the local people. However, it later became clear that supervision of the activities after the planning and implementing phases was weak.