Collaborative Commitment: The Seqota Declaration and the Healthy Village Program

Collaborative Commitment: The Seqota Declaration and the Healthy Village Program

In 2015, the Government of Ethiopia made a high-level commitment, known as the Seqota Declaration (SD), to end stunting in children under two (2) by 2030. The declaration was operationalized through a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder program involving nine sector ministries and their affiliates. Recognizing the role of nutrition in realizing sustainable development, the Seqota Declaration builds on and supports the implementation of the National Food and Nutrition Policy and Strategy. 

 

Addressing Stunting Challenges

Addressing the complex challenges of stunting, especially in areas like Seqota Declaration intervention woredas, requires innovative approaches and collaborative efforts. Therefore, Max Foundation Ethiopia and Plan International Ethiopia jointly designed a five-year (2021– 2025) integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) program called the ‘Healthy Village Program’. This program aims to contribute to the sustainable reduction of stunting and water- and fecal-borne diseases in Seqota Declaration woredas. The program focuses on reaching pregnant, lactating, adolescent, children, and vulnerable individuals lacking sufficient access to clean water, sanitation, and adequate food and nutrition.

The Healthy Village Program contributes to the Seqota Declaration goals through a range of interventions focusing on three main pillars: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Food and Nutrition Security, and Maternal and Adolescent Health. Implementation activities range from the construction of WASH hardware to the provision of poultry and vegetable seeds, to cooking demonstrations and menstrual health school clubs. There is also a strong focus on capacity building for different stakeholders involved e.g. training entrepreneurs to become successful nutrition marketing sales agents selling locally produced nutritious food products.

Health extention workers, Tiruye visiting Atalay Sileshi, 36, and her daughter Degu, 9 months old, (left to right) at Gedaeyasu kebele, Shebel Berenta woreda, East Gojam, Ethiopia.

 

Together towards Zero Stunting by 2030

The Seqota Declaration program has planned to end stunting to zero by 2030. To achieve this goal, the stunting rate needs to be reduced by 3% annually for which a multisectoral approach is required. This will not be achieved by governmental efforts alone. Rather it requires integration and collaboration with numerous private and public partners. Therefore, the Healthy Village programme came to life – implementing this integrated approach in the four SD woredas contributes to the government’s overarching objective of zero stunting by 2030.

Empowering Women, Nourishing Children: Yeshi’s Journey to Impact

Empowering Women, Nourishing Children: Yeshi’s Journey to Impact

Meet Ms. Yeshi Belete, a resilient 37-year-old mother of two girls living in Goncha Siso Enesie woreda, Enesikole Kebele. Yeshi, a divorced woman, was making ends meet by selling tea and local alcohol, along with some occasional labor work.

She didn’t initially see herself as an entrepreneur, but this changed when she joined the training program to become a Nutrition Sales Agent (NSA), initiated by the Healthy Village Program. She learned the skill of preparing Mitin flour, a nutrient-rich blend primarily meant for children under two and pregnant or lactating women. Alongside this, she received essential business training and a toolkit, including various cereals and pulses, a plastic sealer, a weight scale, plastic bags, a registration book, and valuable technical support.

Yeshi shares her journey, saying, “My motivation ignited during the nutrition marketing training. I was drawn to the intervention’s goal of reducing child stunting and providing valuable services to our community. Moreover, the project provided me with startup capital, which was the boost I needed.”

The program facilitated vital linkages, where the local Health Extension Workers (HEWs) played a pivotal role in promoting the product at health posts, cooking demonstration events, and other community gatherings. During these events, the HEWs showcased how to prepare the Mitin flour by adding eggs, vegetables, and oil, making it a nutrient-dense meal for mothers to feed their children.

Since embarking on her entrepreneurial journey, Yeshi has witnessed a significant shift in her community. Awareness about the importance of nutrition and related products has soared, leading to a remarkable increase in Mitin sales. In just eight months, she sold 254.5 kg of Mitin to 277 households, generating a profit of more than 5000 ETB. This empowered her to establish “Equib,” a savings program within her local community, further fuelling her dreams and those of her two daughters.

Yeshi’s story is a testament to the Healthy Village Program’s commitment to identifying and empowering women in the community, in collaboration with the woreda health office and HEWs. Together, they are rewriting the narrative, improving children’s nutrition outcomes through social entrepreneurship.