Some members of the cooperative Ubumwe Bugamije Iterambere(KOUBITE), which works on different types of agriculture in Bishenyi swamp located in Kamonyi District, say that the government program aimed at combating malnutrition and stunting in children called egg for children has helped them, because currently there is no member of this cooperative that treats malnutrition .

This was announced by these members when they were visited by different journalists and officials in different institutions in order to observe together how the people participate in the implementation of government programs.

Havugiyaremye Andre and Nyirasafari Anonciatta are some of the members of this cooperative, they agree that because they were busy trying to find a life, they did not have enough time for their families they feed them badly.

They said that "It was bad for finding life and fed those children, where You find a child who started to change his colors face because of malnutrition, but where they were helped in different groups, they were taught the importance of feeding the children with animal products, especially the child's school program, now they had a problem with the children suffering from malnutrition and obesity which was still resolved".

What these members are saying is confirmed by Nshimiyimana Claude, the head of Koubite , where he says that they have achieved this plan in collaboration with the groups these members have been setting up to discuss how they should take care of their families.

He said, "It is a program we have set up after we have seen that there are people who are busy in cooperative work and forget to take care of their families, now we have set up different groups where the members give contributions and save them, when they multiply they are distributed and then they are sold animals including chickens, goats, and cows in order to encourage them to eat farm products they did not buy it, but they had it in their family.

The Cooperative Ubumwe bugamije iterambere (KOUBITE) has more than 784 members, including 336 men and 448 women, and has a total production of 5.6 Tons per Ha during the year.

Rwanda has made significant progress in reducing stunting. However, child malnutrition continues to be a key challenge in the country. With financial support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, UNICEF Rwanda and the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) are launching a nation-wide campaign to tackle child malnutrition.

Dubbed the “One Egg Per Child, Everyday” campaign, it aims to reach Rwandans from all walks of life with critical messaging about the importance of feeding children eggs from an early age (after 6 months of age following exclusive breastfeeding), to ensure a diet that supports their healthy growth and development.

“Adequate nutrition is essential for a good start in life,” says Julianna Lindsey, UNICEF Country Representative. “With child malnutrition remaining a key challenge in Rwanda, raising awareness and reaching communities with key messaging is critical to build a strong foundation for children.” Key components include community sensitization on animal source food consumption and the promotion of supportive home and community environments for young children.

However, significant challenges remain linked to the socio-economic impact of COVID-19. Lockdown and social distancing measures sharply curtailed economic activities in 2020, causing the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to record a contraction of 3.4 percent in 2020 compared to a projected expansion of 8 percent before the COVID-19 outbreak.

Reduced family income and food insecurity have posed additional difficulties in the household that may have slowed down or reversed the progress of malnutrition reduction. Without substantial additional investment and efforts, the country risks failing to achieve the ambitious target of reducing stunting to 19 percent by 2024.