Growing Healthy Food & Healthy Children in Ghana

In Beposo, a small community in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, a group of women recently gathered as future lactation coaches. With support from Self-Help International’s Promoting Good Nutrition (PGN) team, they are being equipped with the tools and knowledge to help babies in their villages grow strong and healthy.

For many years, mothers in rural Ghana believed that newborns needed water or other foods alongside breast milk. These practices—passed down for generations—left babies vulnerable to malnutrition and illness. But with your support, that story is changing.

During the training, women learned the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, feeding babies only breastmilk for the first six months. They also practiced using MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) tapes to detect undernutrition early, prepared “tom brown” porridge enriched with soybeans, maize, and groundnuts, and piloted a simple but powerful idea: giving children over six months one boiled egg a day for vital protein.

One mother, Abena, shared, “Before, I thought breastmilk was not enough, so I gave my baby water. Now I know better. My child is healthier and more active, and I want to encourage other mothers too.”

By training local women as lactation coaches, your support is creating a ripple effect. Each coach returns home ready to share knowledge, support mothers, and protect children from malnutrition. This means healthier babies, stronger mothers, and more resilient communities.

This is the power of your generosity. Together, we are raising strong mothers and healthy babies—one coach, one mother, and one child at a time.

Links:

• Read more about Growing Healthy Food, Growing Healthy Children