242473 Enabling women and children in a low-income rural population to become agents of nutritional change

Monday, October 31, 2011

Andrew Carlson, PhD , Department of Political Science, Capital University, Columbus, OH
Nikki L. Rogers, PhD , Department of Community Health, Substance Abuse Resources & Disability Issues (SARDI) Program, Wright State University, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH
Amsalu Feleke, MPH , College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
Jessica Bilecki , Environmental Studies, Ohio University, Athens, OH
Seifu Wolde-Abraham, MPH , Retired, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
I. INTRODUCTION Since 1963 students and faculty from the University of Gondar have periodically assessed nutritional and health status of low income rural peoples living in the Kossoye district of the Amhara Region in Ethiopia. The findings support similar studies across sub-Saharan Africa indicating declining nutritional status. In response to this problem, a household gardening program was started in 2006. II. METHODS An inter-sectoral collaboration strategy was used with a focus on enabling women and children to grow vegetables for household consumption. Activities included building demonstration gardens in central locations, producing simple manuals on growing and cooking vegetables, and sponsoring public events. III. RESULTS Over the past five years the number of gardens at the peak growing season has increased from 16 to more than 400—more than 25% of all households in the district. IV. DISCUSSION This poster recounts the story of this program and provides analysis of lessons learned as the University of Gondar takes this household gardening program to other communities in the region.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Diversity and culture
Social and behavioral sciences
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Learners will be able to explain strategic considerations in a community nutrition intervention involving women and children in a low-income population. 2.Learners will be able to explain inter-sectoral collaboration involving local, regional, and international participants.

Keywords: Food Security, Community Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a lead researcher on this topic for five years and published a book with Addis Ababa University Press and Red Sea Press titled Village Life in Ethiopia.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.