AVSI Foundation joined the Ugandan Ministry of Health and its partners to commemorate the World Breastfeeding Week, an annual celebration which is held every year from 1 to 7 August. In various parts of the country and through the different projects and activities that we implement, AVSI Foundation held activities such as mini-community dialogues, radio talk shows, and food and cooking demonstrations. Using social media posts, AVSI Uganda also reminded mothers to breastfeed and prompted communities, employers, leaders, and husbands to support mothers on this noble task of breastfeeding for a healthier nation.
The World Breastfeeding Week has been celebrated since 1992 with annual themes that reinforce the benefits of breastfeeding and call to all individuals and entities to promote breastfeeding. This year’s theme is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet,” which Uganda contextualized because of the COVID-19 pandemic to “Safe breastfeeding for a healthier Nation.”
The Graduating to Resilience Activity, funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and led by AVSI Foundation in partnership with Trickle Up and IMPAQ International in Kamwenge-Rwamwanja Refugee settlement, engaged staff and participants in the activities to galvanize the messaging on the principles of breastfeeding passed through its Nutrition Coaching. Messaging on early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and continued breastfeeding up to 2 years and more among other infant and young child feeding (IYCF) principles was done using a myriad of platforms.
In this video, Catherine Kyokunzire, our staff and breastfeeding champion, and Oliver Nzita, a Graduating to Resilience participant and IYCF protagonist, share their experience with breastfeeding.
Great message. Breastfeeding is the best start a mother can give her child.