(KPL​) Vanhmany Kaisouphan feels passionately about children’s development and healthy ways to feed them at an early age. She is a mother of three daughters living in a village in Phongsaly province.

In this northernmost province of Lao PDR, home to over 30 minority ethnic groups, more than half of children under five remain below the healthy height for their age – a sad record amongst all provinces of the country.

“My youngest, 4-year-old daughter was diagnosed as moderately malnourished, which means she is too light than what is considered healthy for her height and age. I was eager to help her, of course, but also eager to learn ways of raising healthy and strong children in the whole of Laos, especially because I understand the worries and struggles of fellow parents when it comes to children’s health. It takes a village to raise a child, and children are the future of our community. That’s why I decided to dedicate myself to helping other parents fight against malnutrition for their children,” says Vanhmany.

Vanhmany decided to volunteer to help reduce child malnutrition in her village, where the health authorities partner with the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, to prevent and treat malnutrition in children under five.

Vanhmany participated in training sessions to become a village health volunteer, learning about different types of malnutrition and ways to identify them. She also learnt about the importance of preventing and treating wasting, a particular form of malnutrition found in children who are very thin and weak for their height, often caused by not getting enough food and proper nutrition. Based on this knowledge, Vanhmany started leading training sessions in her village to share information to mothers, including healthy behaviours and practices, sanitation, hygiene and a diverse and nutritious diet. She also visited the houses of children who were identified as acutely malnourished, monitored the status of these children and frequently advised parents on feeding practices.

This far, over 300 malnourished children in the target districts have received help to become healthier and stronger, thanks to the combined efforts of village health volunteers like Vanhmany, parents and caregivers, as well as community health centres, supported by WFP and funded by the Government of France.

One of these successful cases was Bounxay, the one-year-old son of Bouathip Xaykhamthip from Phanyasy village, where families belong to the Punoi ethnic group. Although the villagers make a good living with their tea plantations and upland rice cultivation, many children in the village are malnourished. Little Bounxay, initially identified as moderately malnourished, received treatment and advice for his parents from village health volunteers.

The village health volunteer is measuring Bounxay’s mid-upper arm circumference as a way to determine his nutrition status. He has recovered from moderate malnutrition.

“I hadn’t been aware of my son’s condition and what it means for him. I am happy that he improved and am determined to keep feeding him diverse and healthy food, as well as cooking in a clean environment,” says mom Bouathip.

“I feel so happy when I see children smiling and healthier than before. It means that our work makes a difference for our children and our village,” Vanhmany gloats. “Together, we are showing that if we work together and practice what we have learned in our daily lives, we can create a healthier and happier future for our children.”

KPL