Art for Gorillas

Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Mar 09 2009 | By: Julie

How many times a day do these kids eat? Do they start their day with a bite to eat before walking to school? Lunch? After fetching water and doing chores, do they sit down for a well-balanced dinner? The response from the children filling the classroom is embarrassed laughter and NO!

Corn, potatoes, and porridge are the staples for the families in this area of Kinigi - settled in the foothills of Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Pictured above, avocado, banana, green pepper, onion and an african fruit, are too expensive, or not easily available in their communities, or parents are not informed about the importance of providing a variety of foods.

Bottom line - parents are providing an extremely limited diet to their children.

I asked Director Heidi Reukauk and Medical Coordinator Jeanne D’Arc Nyirajyambere of CCHIPS, (Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives and Programs), to help us share important news on nutrition to our students. They kindly made time out of their schedule to meet with our three groups of kids.

Valerie, at the far right, introduces the students to Jeanne D’Arc and Heidi.

CCHIPS Nurse and Medical Coordinator Jeanne D’Arc Nyirajyambere learns what children know about food and nutrition. She then presents the importance of quality and quantity of food that should be taken each day.

Universally, kids frown upon vegetables, but Jeanne D’Arc stresses to our students the importance of their nutritional value and of eating a variety of foods.

More again soon.