Meals for Kidz Initiative (Nigeria)

 

CAC Registration #166017

For naira donations: FCMB Account –  Meals For Kidz Initiative: 2002625512

 

Aim: Meals for Kidz Initiative (MFKI) is a non-governmental organization in Nigeria, and a branch of Food and Care For All, Inc (FCFA) USA, established in September 2021 with the goal of promoting food security for impoverished children across Nigeria while ensuring that they have the nutrition they need throughout the day to learn.

Mission: To feed school children in need with nutritious meals regardless of their circumstances and improve their school attendance, cognitive function, and academic performance. The Meals for Kidz Initiative provides healthy and nutritious meals to underprivileged school-aged children through partnerships with schools in disadvantaged communities across Nigeria.

Vision: To assure that no child misses school due to hunger, reduce food loss and waste, promote sustainable food systems, and ensure that every child has the opportunity or assistance to become self-sufficient.

See MFKI's Events Below....

HIV PREVENTION THROUGH YOUTH EDUCATION IN REPUBLIC OF BENIN:

Here is a recap from April 2023, when our public health interns gave virtual presentations on “HIV Prevention” and “WASH Initiatives” to high school students of the Collège d’Enseignement Général 1 (CEG) de Savè, Republic of Benin, West Africa. 🗂️📝🇧🇯 🤝

Most of the learners were non-English speaking and received education in both French and English.

FCFA’s @mealsforkidzinitiative provided free, nutritious meals to at least 50 students while they engaged in learning.

We thank Dr. Zinsou and other teachers at the host school for their support. We also appreciate Mrs. Oshin of Lafia Wellness Initiatives and the University of Maryland School of Medicine @phsa.umsom for their partnership.

#sdg2030 #zerohunger #globalhealth
#healtheducation #nutrition #schoolfeeding

HEALTH EDUCATION AND HEALTH PROMOTION IN NIGERIA: 🫶🏼🌍🤝

In April 2023, FCFA partnered with @healthfornigeria to facilitate train-the-trainer sessions for nurses at Baptist Grammar School, Iresi through the Nurse A School Program. The nurses were educated on two topics – “Sanitation and Hygiene Management” and “HIV Prevention through Youth Education”.

We are incredibly proud of our MPH interns from University of Maryland School of Medicine, Ms. Morayo Owolabi and Ms. Angela Bbosa, for their efforts in leading the educational sessions.

One of our priorities at FCFA is to Improve the overall health and well-being of communities in the US and Sub-Saharan Africa through health education and strategic partnerships.

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE AND SEXUAL HEALTH AWARENESS INITIATIVE 

We EDUCATE adolescents and adults on proper menstrual hygiene and sexual health, and PROVIDE needed sanitary kits, educational resources and referrals to safe and effective contraceptive services. 

The FCFA Menstrual Hygiene and Sexual Health Program aims to address and dismantle stigma, harmful norms, and socio-cultural practices surrounding menstruation to improve girls, women, and others who menstruate’s experiences of menstruation and to enable gender equality. The program also strives to increase awareness among adolescents about sexual health and wellness.

MENSTRUAL POVERTY: Girls in rural and poor urban communities and humanitarian crisis settings are less likely to be able to access and/or use menstrual products to manage menstruation, and often lack access to soap, safe water and functional and secure toilets/latrines with mechanisms for private disposal of used menstrual products— (Plesons et al., 2021).

These challenges have immediate and longer-term consequences for girls in relation to their confidence and self-efficacy, their ability to participate in day-to-day activities such as education and employment, and their health and wellbeing.

ADOLESCENCE: Adolescents are the future generation. Unfortunately, adolescence is a vulnerable age for susceptibility to many health issues such as reproductive tract infections due to improper menstrual hygiene, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), unexpected pregnancies from the lack of awareness about contraceptive practices, and no proper guidance about sexual health (Mamilla & Goundla, 2019). 

OUR APPROACH: We partner with local organizations in rural Sub-Saharan African to promote the menstrual health and hygiene of adolescent girls and solve menstrual poverty through a deliberate approach. 

THE 2021 FUND-A-PAD OUTREACH ABUJA, NIGERIA​

The 2021 #fundapadinitiative was a huge success as we unveiled the menstrual kits at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, Abuja. In partnership with SWAG and local stakeholders in Nigeria, we provided education (in Hausa and English Language) to young girls and women on the benefits, use, and proper disposal of sanitary pads. Each of the 200 individuals received free menstrual kits containing soap and sanitary pads that would last for approximately 5-6 months. Additionally, they were provided free lunch and drinks through FCFA’s Meals For Kidz Initiative. 

SICKBAY COMMISSIONED AT BAPTIST GRAMMAR SCHOOL
IRESI, OSUN STATE, NIGERIA (NOVEMBER 2021)
The Dr. Oluwatosin Olateju, Nee Adeyemo Sickbay

The Baptist Grammar School Sickbay, Iresi was sponsored by Dr. Oluwatosin Adeyemo Olateju in collaboration with Health for Nigeria (HFN), an international non-profit. The sponsorship accommodated for the renovation of an unused space within the school premises to be converted to a sickbay. The program also covers full-time salary of a nurse to provide health care services, manage the school health club, and host community outreach events in collaboration with faith-based leaders to sensitize adults in the community about chronic disease prevention and management. The sickbay provides health care services (health education and treatment) to students and staff of the school, promoting and improving their health and knowledge about health and diseases.

Launching Ceremony of Baptist Grammar School Nurse-A-School program: The initial commissioning was done on November 11, 2021 so the students could immediately have access to free healthcare services at the new sick bay. A formal launching ceremony later took place in the school on the 8th of March, 2022. The students and staff were excited to be part of those that will benefit from the opportunity. According to the 2022 HFN’s annual report, the program had reached 11 months (3 academic terms) and still counting in the school. The school, which comprises 169 students and 19 staff, has a full-time nurse in charge – Nurse Akinpelu Opeyemi through the Nurse-A-School program sponsorship

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With the school Principal in red attire.
Engr. Adeyemo (center) with the school Principal in red attire

Report

IRESI SICKBAY’S IMPACTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

School health club: The school health club was established on the 11th of February, 2022 with all students in attendance. Since the establishment, students have been meeting every Thursday to discuss issues about their health. Several topics were covered which includes personal hygiene, environmental hygiene, safe water, balanced diet, cough and catarrh, mental health, sexual health, menstrual hygiene, first aid management, hand washing, disease prevention, microorganisms, schistosomiasis, worm infestations, malaria etc. The school health club has also encouraged interpersonal relationships between students. General nursing care Students, staff, and the community have benefited from health care. Sick students were treated and all students have benefitted from health education and the school health club. Home visits were also done for sick students who were not able to come to school or were admitted in the hospital. The opportunity was used to educate their parents and family members.

Members of staff have also benefited from first aid care, blood pressure monitoring, and blood glucose monitoring. The school environment was kept clean through environmental sanitation in conjunction with the teachers. The community has also benefited from these healthcare services through community engagement which includes health education and checking of blood pressure. The nurse has been able to partner with the Primary Health Care to render further health management for students. Major cases handled in the sick bay are Malaria, Musculoskeletal pain, Upper respiratory tract infections, and Abdominal pain. Special cases in the school are sickle cell crisis, teenage pregnancy and abortion.

Community engagement: A church health outreach was done by the school nurse and health team on the 24th of April, 2022 at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Oke Isedo, Iresi. Participants were educated on hypertension. About 19 people were in attendance and got the opportunity to check their blood pressure for free. Also, another church health outreach was done on the 30th of July, 2022 at Christ Apostolic Church, No 1, Iresi. About 72 people were in attendance and had their blood pressure checked for free. They were educated on Peptic ulcer; it causes, treatment, and prevention. Parents were also reached through health education during Parents Teachers Association meetings held in the school. The opportunity was used to educate parents on the health of their children and their health also.

The purpose of the 2019 Osun State Food Drive Project was to ensure that residents of Osun State, Nigeria especially individuals living in extreme food insecure areas, had undeniable access to one of the basic things of life (food), and also meet their dietary needs. Given our limited budget, we strategically targeted geographical areas of high food and medical needs located in the following local government areas (LGAs):
1. Ila- Orangun LGA, Osun State, Nigeria
2. Ifedayo LGA, Osun State, Nigeria
3. Boluwaduro LGA, Osun State, Nigeria

We however, hope to expand our services to other areas in Osun State and across Nigeria as we build capacity. 

FCFA Comprehensive Food Package consisted of non-perishable food items, including a bag of rice, beans, cassava flakes, canned milk, tea bags, sugar and salt.

These items were distributed by our volunteers to 300 heads of households and we served approximately 1,380 individuals. We also issued a total of 60 volunteer certificates. The service of local police officers was engaged to ensure safety and successful implementation of events. The organizers worked closely with village heads and officials who helped secure event locations and assisted with participant recruitments.

Click on the PDF document to the left for full report.