Projects - details

Medical Centre for Children suffering from Malnutrition

Who? Children Are the Future (CAF), a Brussels-based nonprofit (asbl), has been cooperating with the Centre Communautaire Local de Nutrition (CCLN) of N'Djili since 2002 to identify ways to improve child health in the city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

What? The CCLN will support its malnutrition center through a pig-breeding farm. The pig-farm will provide the centre with an ongoing source of income and with a source of nutritious food for the malnourished children. At the same time, their caretakers will have the opportunity to work at the farm as well.

Why? According to the latest study "Enquête Nutritionelle dans la Ville de Kinshasa", released in March 2003 by Caritas Congo, PRONANUT¹ and the BDOM² , 38,1% of all children younger than five are malnourished. Malnutrition does not only hit children: 12,8% of all mothers are malnourished as well. In real figures, it is estimated that there are about 1,200,000 children younger than five, of which 307,200 suffer from chronic severe and moderate malnourishment.

Malnourishment can lead to brain damage and a slower growth. These children are not interested in playing, they don't smile and they are in a state of apathy. Unhealthy children cannot attend school or contribute to their families and communities' well being. We hope to help a small number of children grow to adulthood and create an opportunity for community growth and development.

The main cause of malnutrition is poverty. Chronic poverty means chronic malnourishment. The only way to get out of this situation is to break the vicious cycle by providing poor families with an extra income they will obtain by working on the pig farm. With their savings they will be able to run little shops.

Where? Kimbanseke and N'Djili belong to the so-called 'communes excentriques', which are furthest from the city center. In these communes, malnutrition figures are the highest: 38,6% of children have been found to be malnourished. Of these 38,6% 1,4% suffers from severe malnourishment, 7,4% from moderate malnourishment and 29,8% from light malnourishment. The centre will be located in the densely populated commune of N'Djili, on the border with Kimbanseke, which includes some of the poorest neighborhoods in Kinshasa.

Oversight and Quality Improvement. In addition to seeking funds for this project, CAF Belgium is serving as a quality/accountability review board for the CCLN centre and micro-business. The Local Community Advisory Council in Kinshasa (Centre Communautaire de Conseil - CCC) under the lead of CAF's Congo Coordinator, will provide additional quality oversight.

Cost. €8.084 is needed to start up the pig-breeding farm and the medical centre to treat children suffering from malnutrition.

¹PRONANUT= the national program of nutrition - ²BDOM= Bureau Diocésain des Oeuvres Médicales (Diocesan Bureau for Medical Research)