Bayelsa, UNICEF launch project against child malnutrition

Bayelsa State, in partnership with UNICEF and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has initiated a crucial one-year project aimed at preventing malnutrition in children during their first 1,000 days of life. The program targets pregnant women and children up to two years old, a period critical for physical and brain development.

“

That is what the first 1,000 days of life protect. From the moment a woman becomes pregnant to her child’s second birthday, a body and a brain are being built. What happens in that window cannot be undone later.

UNICEF's Chief of Field Office in Lagos, Celine Lafoucriere, emphasized the importance of this window, stating that what happens during pregnancy to a child's second birthday shapes their future development. The project seeks to ensure children not only survive but also thrive, learn, and reach their full potential.

“

These are children who will struggle more in school and may struggle later to earn a living, through no fault of their own. That is why today matters.

This initiative addresses alarming statistics from Nigeria's National Demographic and Health Survey 2024, which found over a quarter of children are stunted and nearly half of pregnant women are anemic. Stunting, caused by inadequate early nutrition, leads to impaired cognitive development, poorer educational outcomes, and reduced economic opportunities later in life.

“

When government takes the lead and partners follow through with real support, nutrition supplies reach children before problems take root.

The partnership involves significant investment: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is providing funding for one year, while the Bayelsa State Government and UNICEF are each contributing N140 million. This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to improving child nutrition and maternal health, ensuring that interventions reach children before critical developmental issues take root.

“

Somewhere in the state right now, a child is living through their first 1,000 days. They do not know this inception meeting is happening. But by the end of this year, I hope they will be healthier and better fed because of what we do here today.