How NGO fights malnutrition in Kano community

Malnutrition remains one of the most pressing health challenges in Nigeria, especially among children under five.

In Kano State, the crisis has reached worrying levels. According to UNICEF, about 51.9% of children under five are stunted, while 10.2% suffer from wasting and 38.4% are underweight. The Kano State government has also admitted that nearly 1.5 million children are currently malnourished. These figures underline the scale of the crisis and its devastating impact on child growth, brain development, and survival.

Experts point to poverty, poor feeding practices, and frequent illnesses such as malaria and diarrhoea as key causes of malnutrition. In many farming communities, parents lack awareness of the importance of balanced diets for children. With rising inflation and limited access to healthcare, families are finding it increasingly difficult to provide the right nutrition for their children.

CSADI’s Intervention: A Community-Based Solution

Amid this growing challenge, the Community Support and Development Initiative (CSADI) has stepped forward to provide relief. The organisation is running awareness campaigns and distributing nutritional supplements in rural areas, particularly in Bebeji Local Government Area. This initiative is part of CSADI’s broader community health programs, which also cover HIV counselling, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and other grassroots health interventions.

Speaking to SolaceBase on Thursday, CSADI’s Executive Director, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed Suleiman, explained the motivation behind the work.

“As a leader working closely with communities, I see the need to go beyond our regular programs and directly address child malnutrition. Many parents, especially in farming communities, are not aware of the importance of complementary foods for their children,” she said.

Bebeji was chosen due to its high vulnerability and high incidence of twin births, which often leave mothers struggling to produce enough breast milk. Each family reached by CSADI received nutritional supplements and training on how to prepare affordable, locally sourced food to improve children’s diets.

The Challenges of Sustaining the Initiative

While the organisation once received support from the Dangote Foundation, this funding has stopped due to internal restructuring. For now, Suleiman says the program is running from her personal resources.

Read Also: ‘How four million children battle malnutrition in northern Nigeria’

“We cannot wait for support to resume while children suffer,” she emphasized. “We are managing for now, but sustained funding is essential to keep the program alive.”

The lack of external funding remains the biggest obstacle. CSADI staff also face the challenge of changing deep-rooted feeding practices, which requires time, patience, and continuous community engagement.

Successes and Community Impact

Despite these challenges, CSADI’s work is already making a difference in Bebeji. Community leaders, mothers, and families testified to the impact of the initiative.

The village head of Bebeji, Adamu S Umar Bebeji, confirmed to SolaceBase that the support has been invaluable. “We really appreciate CSADI because their support has helped our people. Many children here suffer from malnutrition, and through this programme, parents have learnt how to make nutritional supplements. The fact that CSADI is giving them out for free makes the support even more helpful.”

Mothers also shared their personal stories. Hassana Jibiri, a mother of twins, said the intervention has transformed her children’s health. “My babies were suffering from malnutrition, but through CSADI’s training, I now know how to prepare nutritious foods. Thank God, my babies are recovering.”

Another mother, Jamila Ibrahim, described how the training gave her hope. “It pains me when I see other children playing while mine could not, but with CSADI’s support I now know how to feed my child properly. This has reduced my worries.”

Community members such as Mallam Mu’azu Alhassan also confirmed the impact. “Even I can now make nutritional supplements for my family. We are grateful to CSADI for standing by us.”

Medical Experts Advise on the Way Forward

Health professionals in Kano have stressed that while community initiatives like CSADI’s play a crucial role, tackling malnutrition requires a broader, coordinated response.

Dr Aminu Bala, a nutrition specialist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, explained that awareness alone is not enough without access to affordable, nutritious foods.

“Mothers need continuous support on breastfeeding and complementary feeding, but equally important is making sure that nutritious foods like eggs, vegetables, and fortified cereals are available and affordable in local markets,” he said.

He further advised that government and development partners should invest more in rural health centres so that malnourished children can be identified and treated early. According to him, preventive care through regular growth monitoring, nutrition counselling, and immunisation services will reduce the number of children who reach life-threatening stages of malnutrition.