Project 7 and positive changes

More than three years ago, when the program “Health care, physical improvement and malnutrition prevention for children in ethnic minority and mountainous areas” (also known as Project 7) was launched, many people were skeptical about whether the model would be effective or not. Up to now, the answer has been clearly shown in all the highland villages of Quang Ninh when the physical and mental health of highland children has been significantly improved.

Officials of the Women's Union of Dam Ha district came to propagate nutrition for children under 5 years old at members' homes.

Dam Ha is a district with more than 30% of the population being ethnic minorities. Economic difficulties have made women and children the most vulnerable group. Correctly identifying the bottleneck, the District Women's Union has proactively "gone to every alley, knocked on every door", integrating the implementation of Project 7 with the movement "Women actively study and work creatively". The model "Child care and education" built in two communes of Quang An and Quang Tan has quickly attracted nearly 300 participants. The core of the model is thematic activities chaired by union officials. Highland mothers are shared experiences on age-appropriate nutrition, instructions on stimulating physical activity, creative games for children, and how to share housework between husband and wife.

Ba Che Town Kindergarten (Ba Che District) always attaches importance to food safety and hygiene, improves meal quality, and diversifies children's diets. Photo: Lan Anh

Ms. Tang Nhi Mui, Quang An commune (Dam Ha district) said: "Before, I thought taking care of children was a woman's job, my husband only took care of the finances. Now my husband always shares the childcare, feeds the baby very skillfully, thanks to the communication sessions of the Women's Union."

If Dam Ha has flourished with a comprehensive childcare model, Tien Yen, where many Dao people live, has taken the lead with a solution combining material support and in-depth consultation. The district Women's Union has mobilized businesses and philanthropists to donate milk boxes and nutritional powder to poor children. In addition, the Women's Union at all levels in the district has organized training sessions to introduce models of growing vegetables at home and raising clean chickens, helping women generate additional income and rotate nutrition for family meals.

In Ba Che district, many training programs on “Preventing malnutrition for children under 5 years old” were organized for grassroots association officials, nutrition collaborators, and village health workers . The content of the training programs does not stop at theory but goes straight to solutions: how to create a 1,500 kcal menu for less than 25,000 VND/day; instructions on fermenting wild vegetables with probiotics; organizing a “nutrition quiz” game to eliminate the common mentality that “fat children are healthy”. After the training, each trainee becomes a “nutrition ambassador” in their village, periodically organizing weighing and measuring, creating growth charts for children.

The success of Project 7 in Quang Ninh comes from the combined strength, but the highlight is the initiative of the Women's Union at all levels. The women are not only propagandists but also network builders: working with the health sector to organize periodic check-ups; acting as a bridge between the government, businesses and poor households; mobilizing members to monitor policy implementation to "reach the right people, the right subjects". At the same time, communication work on gender equality and domestic violence prevention is integrated throughout, helping to change men's awareness of their responsibility to take care of children and share housework.

The notable point is the motto of “putting children at the center, putting women as the subject”. Thanks to that, each model and each activity focuses on promoting the role of mothers in the family, thereby spreading to the whole family and community. Project 7 has been and will continue to be a vivid demonstration of the spirit of “Where there are difficulties, there are women” of the Association, making an important contribution to the goal of sustainable poverty reduction and improving the quality of human resources in ethnic minority areas as set out in Resolution 06-NQ/TU of the province.

Hoai Minh

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/du-an-7-va-nhung-chuyen-bien-tich-cuc-3358961.html