In a remote village in Tanzania’s Iringa region, community members rely heavily on agriculture to provide for their families. This includes 30-year-old Haruna, a single mother of four. The village has faced debilitating malnutrition for decades, and the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted livelihoods, limiting access to agricultural resources and nutritious food. Haruna shared that the pandemic brought difficulties for her as she is the sole source of income for her family.
To better provide for her family, Haruna joined the Reaching Children’s Potential (RCP) program, a joint venture between Global Volunteers and Rise Against Hunger as well as local partners including local churches and government organizations. The goal of this project is to ensure every child in the community can reach their full potential. The program’s assistance begins during pregnancy and continues through a child’s 18th birthday, with a primary focus on the first 1,000 days of life — a critical period for development.
The RCP program provides nutritious food, improved hygiene and healthcare, family planning, sanitation, clean drinking water, quality education for girls and boys, parental support, a place for safe healthcare before, during and after a mother gives birth, employment opportunities and a variety of school and household technologies.
Adriano, the village executive officer for RCP, says, “Haruna is a strong mother and works hard to provide for her children. Despite being challenged by difficult times in her life, she never stopped putting her children first.”
With the RCP program’s assistance, Haruna developed a long-term foundation for proper nutrition, improving her and her children’s health and quality of life. “It is important for our children to have enough food because it helps them grow healthy, and they become more active…also because of the micronutrient sachets, there is less likelihood of micronutrient deficiency,” Haruna explains. “For me and my family, the meals have played a big part in improving my children’s health…we have nutritious meals that support us.”
Tausi, an RCP caregiver, shared that the Rise Against Hunger meals have helped to improve food security and reduce levels of malnutrition in children, and the meals complement program workshops to help moms build a strong nutritional foundation for their families. He says Haruna makes a short journey and often walks with other moms in the RCP program to retrieve the meals from her caregiver’s house. In addition to meals, she has access to health services, mental health support, hand washing stations, chicken coops and earth boxes for the home garden.
Tausi said, “She is very hardworking and dedicated to providing for her children. She is a good participant in the workshops she is assigned to, and she’s a great example of why women can do anything to make life better for their children.”
Your support helps mothers like Haruna and her children around the world gain access to nutritious meals — ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive. Whether you’re a business, school, church or organization seeking to make an impact in the lives of people facing hunger, join the movement by hosting a Rise Against Hunger Experience.
