Community nutrition volunteers lead prevention initiatives to tackle malnutrition in South Sudan

Volunteers like Amou are important in promoting adequate nutritious meals and increasing knowledge on diverse nutritional food items to help prevent malnutrition. In addition, in Aweil East, the CNVs mobilised over 1,600 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to receive financial support as part of the pilot cash transfer project UNICEF recently implemented.

"I am thrilled that I and other CNVs can serve our communities and feel proud that our small efforts enhance the government and UNICEF's overall goal to prevent and treat malnutrition at the community level so that all children are healthy and well-nourished," says Amou, smiling with the confidence that CNVs are respected members in their various villages.

Amou and 24 other CNVs in the surrounding villages have been trained on community mobilisation, malnutrition screening, and tracing support to prior cases in the management of acute malnutrition through partner Action Against Hunger, with support from UNICEF and funding from UK Aid, European Commission/ECHO, USAID, France, Canada and Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. These volunteers have been empowered and trained to use the Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) tape to assess the child’s malnutrition status and refer acutely malnourished children and mothers to nutrition sites for treatment.

Also, they have been trained on various topics, including advising mothers on how to prepare healthy, nutritious foods using locally available food items.