Gatsibo District officials have announced that they are going to take action against parents who receive free Shisha Kibondo flour intended to improve their children’s health and combat malnutrition, but instead sell it. This nutritious porridge is part of the government’s efforts to address malnutrition and stunting in children.

Shisha Kibondo, a blend of maize, soya, milk powder, sugar, vitamins and minerals is used to make a highly nutritious complementary porridge for pregnant women, infants and young children older than six months, to combat malnutrition and stunting. Under the programme, the flour is provided freely to women and children from needy families.

Residents in the area, however, say that it is being sold illegally by beneficiaries of the programme.

Leah Mugabekazi, a resident of Kiramuruzi Sector in Gatsibo District, said, "I think the solution to the issue would be to address the root cause, which is poverty so that parents do not feel the need to sell the flour that is meant for their children’s nutrition. A parent opts to sell this flour because they are struggling to provide for their families and see no other way to make ends meet.”

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Different initiatives aimed at empowering vulnerable families with malnourished children, besides receiving shisha Kibondo, in Gatsibo have been adopted; among them are kitchen gardens, income-generating activities like Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP), and training on nutrition and proper child care.

These programmes have shown some success in alleviating poverty and improving the overall well-being of families, however, the issue of selling Shisha Kibondo persists.

Speaking to the media during a press conference, Vice Mayor of Gatsibo in charge of Social Affairs, Marceline Mukamana, affirmed that they have received information that some parents are selling Shisha Kibondo and that they are going to tighten measures to prevent it.

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She said: "The measures that the government has put in place are effective; there is a certain amount of flour that a mother has to take in a month, but there is also monitoring by health workers who observe whether the child is given the right amount. There must be no cases of illegal sales from health centres; instead, we are going to work with health workers to monitor the usage of flour in homes to ensure that it is being used correctly. We want to make sure that every child in the community is receiving the proper nutrition they need to thrive.”

Mukamana urged residents to be cautious and refrain from such illegal purchases because fines await those involved.

Government figures suggest that over 100,000 children, pregnant and breastfeeding women receive Shisha Kibondo support per year. The national stunting rate decreased from 38 per cent in 2015 to 33 per cent in 2020, with a target to decrease stunting to 19 per cent by 2024.