Caring for infants and young children is considered so important that two of the eight MDGs address the issue – reduce child mortality and improve maternal health.

These two goals are priorities for World Vision. Across Asia and the Pacific we work to identify the key causes of malnutrition in children and strive for sustainable community improvement in children’s health and nutrition.

Food security

Limited food, or limited income to purchase food, mean that families may only be able to eat once a day at some times of the year. As well, natural disasters may wipe out an entire harvest leading to widespread famine.

In Laos, rural communities have traditionally grown one crop of rice per year, during rainy season. World Vision’s innovative agricultural programme has provided irrigation to allow for two harvests a year, as well as suggesting crops that can be added to the farmers’ schedules for income and additional nutrition. By forming farming co-operatives and creating a rice “bank”, communities have greater farming stability and food security.

Read more: Gabbion Weir fulfils promise in one year

In Nepal, rice and lentils are staple, affordable food, but contain little nutritional value on their own. In schools within urban sponsorship areas, World Vision has introduced “zero land farming” to school children, providing them with potplants, seedlings, and all the knowledge they need to grow nutritious tomatoes, eggplants and capsicums at home.

Read more: Homegrown tastes best in Kathmandu

Knowledge

Traditional child-rearing does not always include proper nutrition. Mothers across Asia and the Pacific do their best to keep their children healthy, but often without the knowledge of diet and development they need.

In Vietnam, mothers have grouped together for lessons on cooking nutritional food. They have added vegetables to the rice porridge they traditionally fed their toddlers. Women who are breastfeeding have also learned to take greater care of their own nutritional needs because of the importance of their own health during this crucial time.

Read more: Good knowledge means good childcare 

In Indonesia, an urban child health programme in Jakarta forms groups of pregnant mothers, chaired by a trained community midwife. They learn about how to look after their health and nutrition while pregnant, the development of their foetus and what to expect when the baby is born.  High on the agenda is the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and an understanding of food groups and nutrition for both mother and child.

Read more: Giving birth in Jakarta

Distribution and supplementary feeding

Worldwide, World Vision delivers relief aid including food to millions of people every year. Some of this is done in partnership with the WFP, to refugees of war or during times of famine or food shortage. World Vision also delivers food supplies in the aftermath of a natural disaster, or to encourage community involvement in development initiatives through “food for work” schemes.

In Myanmar, World Vision is working in remote Kachin province, delivering WFP food in exchange for community building of infrastructure such as roads and public buildings.

Read more: Remote communities receive food support

Throughout the region, nutrition specialists also advise on supplementary feeding for children who suffer from malnourishment. This may take the form of a special high-protein additive prescribed to children at risk, or may be a more general dietary supplement to address a known deficiency in community diet.

In Mongolia, World Vision has been distributing “sprinkles”, a multi-vitamin supplement, through schools and kindergartens since 2004. The vitamins guard against rickets, a common and very dehabilitating bone condition caused by lack of Vitamin D.

Read more: Malnourished twins now healthy