Growing Healthy Food & Healthy Children in Ghana

Last year, over 700 chickens were distributed to more than 50 clients of the Growing Healthy Food Growing Healthy Children (GHFGHC) Program while plans are underway to distribute an additional 400 chickens to more clients in March this year in a bid to address the protein needs of clients by enhancing their consumption of chicken.

Chicken  is a source of complete protein and thus supplies all the nine essential amino acids that the body cannot make on its own and is very nutritious. Among other things, it helps to support muscle growth as well as brain development and function.It also improves skin and joint health (https://www.health.com/chicken-benefits-7556373)

However, access to chicken and other sources of animal protein remain a real challenge for most rural communities due to the high cost of animal products as well as the challenges that people in rural communities face when trying to raise animals on their own. 

The regular absence of such sources of animal protein normally results in the consumption of meals devoid of animal protein which when prolonged can lead to protein deficiency.

This situation is especially critical for pregnant and lactating mothers since a prolonged absence of protein in their diet can result in anemia and can have dire consequences for both mother and child. 

The provision of these chickens by the GHFGHC Program  in  conjunction with the Agricultural and Entrepreneurial Development (AED) Program  is in a bid to address the situation and avert protein deficiency amongst its clients by enabling them to have regular access to animal protein.

It is hoped that by giving clients easy access to acquire chickens and use them in food preparation, the nutritional quality of their meals will improve and they will also have access to adequate protein in their diets.  . 

Enrollment levels at the Nkontomire Municipal Assembly Basic School in the Ashanti Region of Ghana has increased tremendously since Self Help International began a School Feeding Program for students of the school eight years ago.

Peter, the Headmaster of the school, said “there has been a 35 to 40 percent increment increase in enrollment at the school as a result of the school feeding program”

This is because some of the students are unable to take breakfast before coming to school and since they know they will take breakfast in the morning when they come to school they do not hesitate to come.

Hence, the students take the breakfast provided by SHI in the morning and take the one provided by the government later in the day because that one is supplied during lunch.  

The headmaster who disclosed this during a visit by the School Feeding Program team to the school extended his gratitude to SHI for implementing the program in the school saying, “thank you very much”.

The aim of the visit by the project team was to distribute food items such as sugar and to find out whether they have enough maize to prepare food for the school term.

It was also to afford the team the opportunity to gather reports about the program for the previous term and to supply spoons, cups and utensils in addition to addressing all issues that pertain to the School Feeding Program. 

The School Feeding Program which began at the Nkontomire Municipal Basic School in 2014 covers six other schools, namely, Nyame Bekyere Municipal Assembly Primary School, Bedabour District Assembly Basic School, Timeabu Municipal Assembly Basic School, Fankamawe Municipal Assembly Primary School, Bedabour Islamic Basic School and Ama Badu District Assembly Basic School.

The School Feeding Program was initiated by SHI in response to the low enrolment levels in basic schools in some rural communities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana by providing school children with high quality breakfast made from Quality Protein Maize. 

Children aged from two to six years benefit from this program which covers Kindergarten one, Kindergarten two, and class one students.