“Walk for one egg” a fund raising event hosted by Shanghai United Foundation (SUF) has supported Humana People to People (HPP) Preschool of the Future (POF) projects in Zhenkang and Butuo from 2012. In 2014 and 2015, SUF supported an HPP Nutrition and Health Development project in Butuo. SUF is happy of the achievements in Butuo and so has decided to support the project once again.

After holding mobilization meetings and discussions with the local parents,130  families finally enrolled for the program.

Before the local hospital staff carried out health check for 128 children the Project Leader had  visited the hospital to  discuss with them first.

Community - based Nutrition and health Development Project for Rural Children, Meisa Township, Butuo County received a grant of CNY157,894.70 from Shanghai United Foundation (SUF). The duration of the grant runs from 1st of April 2017 to 31st of March 2018. The grant is mainly targeted on  improving children’s growth and living environment through an increase in nutrition, hygiene and sanitation knowledge for 128 households; organizing 128 households to establish vegetable gardens  where they will plant 5 varieties of vegetables; providing egg laying chicks to 128  households with each household getting 12 chicks; organizing 4 village cleaning actions to improve the environment and hygiene; by  establishing 3 Village Action Groups (VAGs) who will be organized to carry out different actions; organizing 2 health checks for 128 children;  construction of 2 garbage pools in the 2 townships -Meisa and Juesa and making  4 government officials understand the project’s concept and that they know about the project activities.

128 children were checked and the results were sent for analysis.

The families signed for the chicken they received from the project.

The project started in April with the Project Leader for Community-based Nutrition and Health Development Project for Rural Children- Luo Qinglin - undergoing training at the Project Service Center in Kunming. The Project Leader was trained about finance, the use of project tools, planning and preparation of materials to be used at the project.

In May the Project Leader attended yet another 3 days financial training at the Project Service Center. In the same month the Project Leader looked for where to buy chicks to be given to selected households. She then booked for the chicks which were collected when the families had enrolled for the program.

Provision of egg laying chicks to the families will help in improving nutrition for the families when they start getting eggs.

In June the Project Leader started organizing meetings with local leaders where she introduced the project. On the 6th of June the Project Leader visited Melisa Township Center School where she met with the headmaster and introduced the project objectives and activities. On the 6th and 9th   of June the headmaster then organized a parents meeting at Meisa Township Center School where the Project Leader met with local parents. She explained the project objectives and activities but the parents did not show much interest in the program. On the 13th of June the Project Leader again attended another meeting organized by the Center School headmaster and at this meeting 93 parents enrolled for the program. On the 19th of June at yet another meeting held at the Center School 37 parents enrolled for the program bringing the total to 130 households.

Each household received 12 chicks and thereafter received training on how to raise them.

The Project Leader also met with local hospital staff to discuss about health check for 130 children from the enrolled households. On the 20th and 22nd of June health check was carried out by the local hospital staff to 128 children. 2 children from 2 families did not participate in the health check. The results for the health check were sent for analysis to Yunnan Provincial Health Research and Development Institute.

On the 28th of June The Project Leader distributed 1,560 egg laying chicks to 130 households with each household receiving 12 chicks. After distributing the chicks the Project Leader gave training to the families on how to raise the chicks. The Project Leader visits the households to check on the progress of the chicken and discusses with the families and give on site advice. The Project Leader works together with the families in making sure that they succeed with their productions.

To understand more of the situation in the Township in terms of nutrition, health and hygiene the Project Leader carried out a baseline survey in July. This will also help in making comparisons of the situation before and after the project implementation.

The Project Leader has started organizing the 130 households to start vegetable gardens. So far the Project Leader is working on securing vegetable seeds for the families. The Project Leader has also identified possible places in Meisa and Juesa where the garbage pools can be constructed.

This project is funded by  Shanghai United Foundation (www.lianquan.org.cn), HPP Baltic, and  executed by Humana People to People China.

Contents in this article reflect only the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the funder.