A Collection of Stories Told by RCP Families

A COLLECTION OF STORIES TOLD BY RCP FAMILIES

RURAL UKWEGA WARD, TANZANIA

OCTOBER 2020

A COLLECTION OF STORIES TOLD BY RCP FAMILIES

Children are the future! At Global Volunteers we are working with partner

communities to ensure that every child will have the appropriate environment to

reach their potential.

Our Reaching Children's Potential (RCP) Demonstration Program in Tanzania is a

child-focused, parent driven, family centered, and community led comprehensive

effort beginning with pregnancy and continuing through the 18th birthday,

focusing on the first 1,000 days of life. RCP engages short-term volunteers who

help parents deliver essential services to eradicate Hunger, improve Health, and

enhance Cognition with the goal of eliminating child stunting in the Ukwega Ward,

throughout Tanzania, across Africa, and around the world. Through RCP, families

obtain the food, nutrition, health care, knowledge, technology, and

encouragement needed to combat stunting, and to ensure their children can

realize their full potential. Our goal is to expand the program's reach to other

parts of Tanzania, throughout Africa, and across the globe – wherever we are

invited.

In this story collection book, RCP families in Tanzania share their experience, and

explain how their involvement in the program is improving their lives.

A COLLECTION OF STORIES TOLD BY RCP FAMILIES RURAL UKWEGA WARD, TANZANIA OCTOBER 2020

Atanasia Chuma had the opportunity to learn about the RCP Program from friends

that were already participating “I have friends in Ipalamwa who joined the RCP

Program and explained to me the importance of the program and how it has helped

them so much to improve their children’s lives through the meals distributions, the

workshops and home visits.”

Meet Atanasia Chuma, an RCP mother from Ukwega, enrolled in the RCP program

in May 2020, while pregnant with her third child. Her past, first-hand experience

with a stunted child equipped her with the passion and need to learn, and set

better foundations for her children's development.

ATANASIA CHUMA

WHY I DECIDED TO ENROLL MY FAMILY TO THE RCP PROGRAM

Son Raymond - age 9

Son Lucas - age 4

Expecting the third child

Atanasia and Myumbo have 2

children and expecting the third:

Lives in

Ukwega, Tanzania

Happily married to

Myumbo

Joined the RCP Program

in May 2020

Atanasia said,

"Ijoined the RCP programbecause

Idid not want my expected child

in the womb tobe stunted, like

my second child."

Read more about Atanasia and other RCP families at our blog

The stories of healthy babies, children and families with less diarrhea, and the earlier

experience with a severely sick son led Atanasia to join the RCP Program while being

pregnant with her third baby. “I joined the RCP Program because I did not want my

expected child in the womb to be stunted, like my second child. I suffered a lot due

to lack of awareness. My second child got constipation, he had trouble gaining

weight, and his total body was swollen. He did not want to eat well, which led him to

be hospitalized for a month due to malnutrition,” Atanasia shared and added, "I saw

other families having hand-washing stations, which helped them to wash their

hands. Even my children admire these so much that they go there to practice how to

wash their hands."

Few days after Atanasia joined the program, she was referred to visit the Ipalamwa

General Clinic, as she was suffering from an abdominal and back pain. “I was so

impressed! The Global Volunteers driver came to pick me up to attend a pre-natal

care session at the clinic,” and continued, “After that visit, I was informed that I had a

urinary tract infection in an otherwise healthy pregnancy. I was so happy to get

medication and intensive care at my pre-natal visit at the Ipalamwa General

Clinic. I did not expect a clinic in a rural area to provide services like

ultrasound. Now I feel good and have confidence that I will have a safe

delivery. I hope to learn more and have a healthy family!”

Lenida was born and raised in Ipalamwa but her husband is from another village in

the Iringa Region called Tanangozi. They met when David visited his sister who was

married in Ipalamwa. "I ended school when I was in ninth grade because of my

pregnancy, as I was not allowed to attend school anymore. After our marriage, we

decided to settle here in Ipalamwa. We support each other on everything."

Meet Lenida Nyenza, a mother of three from Ipalamwa, who enrolled in the RCP

Program in June 2018. Lenida wanted to join the RCP Program since it started, but

her husband's hesitations kept her from doing it. After a year, she decided to take

the step and join the program, and today Lenida and her husband are actively

participating and sharing their positive experience with other families in the area,

motivating them to join too.

LENIDA NYENZA

HER HUSBAND'S RESERVATIONS AND THE DECISION TO JOIN RCP

Daughter Mary - age 13

Son David - age 10

Daughter Keshia - age 18

months

Lenida and David have 3 children:

Lives in

Ipalamwa, Tanzania

Happily married to

David

Joined the RCP Program

in June 2018

Lenida said,

"From the RCP Program I have

discovered that a very little things

like washing your hands and

eating properly can change your

life."

Read more about Lenida and other RCP families at our blog

When Lenida heard about the RCP Program and its benefits to the participants she

knew that this was something that she wanted to do for herself and her unborn

baby, “I was pregnant and I couldn’t get enough food in a day. I was going to the

farm early in the morning and coming back in the evening. Our farm is almost three-

hour walking distance from our home. I had one meal per day!” Despite her

husband’s reservations, she decided to join the program, “Soon after registration I

got fortified porridge, so I started cooking porridge in the morning and going with it

out to work in the field,” said Lenida and added, “Before the RCP Program, I was

weak and weighed 82 pounds, but soon after I started eating the provided

porridge my weigh increased till I delivered my baby I reached to weigh 154

pounds and my baby was born at 7 pounds and 11 ounces.”

Lenida was happy to see such improvement in her health and it was then that her

husband also started to understand the importance of the program and decided to

start getting to know more, “Now he likes the program so much. He was also very

happy with the workshop for fathers which was conducted about STDs.”

“The RCP Program has been life changing and has brought positive results to my

family. From the RCP Program I have discovered that a very little things like washing

your hands and eating properly can change your life. Washing hands frequently and

having nutritious meals is very important to the health of the family. Sometimes we

might undergo a scarcity of food in the house so the Rise Against Hunger meals have

been very helpful. I love Rise Against Hunger meals because I feel much energy

after I eat. My children, especially the little one, is now very healthy and is

consistently gaining weight. She is very active. We used to have a lot of illnesses

like diarrhea, stomach fever, regular running nose, and coughing. All of my children

were getting sick very frequently, but since we have the hand-washing station,

we have not experienced these types of illness for a long time now.” said Lenida.

Elestuta got to know about the RCP Program and its positive results to the life of

local people from a friend who was part of the program in Ipalamwa. "I decided to

join RCP because it helps reduce malnutrition. Caregivers and volunteers teach us

about health and nutrition."

Meet Elestuta Mfikwa, a mother of two from Makungu, who enrolled in the RCP

program in June 2020.

ELESTUTA MFIKWA

CHANGING MY FAMILY'S LIVES THROUGH THE RCP PROGRAM

Son Karim

Son Fraiko

Elestuta has 2 children:

Lives in

Makungu, Tanzania

Happily married

Joined the RCP Program

in June 2020

Elestuta said,

"I hope in the future, our village

will have healthier children

because of the RCP Program."

Read more about Lenida and other RCP families at our blog

“I heard the RCP Program supports pregnant women and children to improve their

health, and to help with healthy deliveries. I heard about RCP workshops, which are

so helpful to our daily lives. I can receive a hand-washing station and Rise Against

Hunger (RAH) meals in the program. When my relative from Ipalamwa was sick, the

Global Volunteers car helped her to go to Iringa town for medication. I think I will get

an opportunity to practice new things and learn more how to solve problems facing

children and moms, rather than rely on traditional ways of child rearing,” said

Elestuta.

Elestuta said she likes the RCP Program because it helps to reduce children

malnutrition through simply teaching the parents about health and nutrition,

knowledge that they did not have before. “I want my life to change in all aspects. I

have to have healthy children. I want to learn more and to be an example to my

family and other community members. I hope in the future, our village will have

healthier children because of the RCP Program.”

"I decided to join the RCP Program on May 22 this year because I wanted to learn,"

said Sophia and added, "When I visited the Ipalamwa General Clinic for medical

issues, I was satisfied with the treatment and how they care about the children. I

want to have more help, new knowledge and skills to help my child grow. Also, I want

to work closely with RCP caregivers to get support on how to rise well my kids. I hope

to have a happy life with my family."

Meet Sophia Lukonde, a single mother of two from Ukwega, who enrolled in the

RCP program after she visited the IpalamwaGeneralClinic seeking medical care for

her baby.

SOPHIA LUKONDE

RCP GIVES ME THE SUPPORT I NEED TO RAISE MY CHILDREN WELL

Son Hashimu Shabani - age 4

Daughter Noela - age 6 months

Sophia has two children:

Lives in

Ukwega, Tanzania

Single mother

Joined the RCP Program

in May 2020

Sophia said,

"I want to have more help, gain

new knowledge and skills to help

my child grow and develop

normally."

Read more about Sophia and other RCP families at our blog

“The health of my child Noela concerns me the most. Four months after I

delivered, I noticed that she didn’t have eye contact and she was not responding to

toys or anything that came close to her. I visited the closest dispensary, and they just

gave me medicine for treatment for six days. But my child still had the problem after

finishing the treatment, so the situation remained the same. It was then that I

decided to visit the Ipalamwa General Clinic (IGC) for treatment. The doctors there

identified that my child has a problem of eye contact. They advised me to go to a

special hospital for help. This made me feel so supported, and it was helpful to know

where I was supposed to refer my child. It was so hard to know all this by myself.”

Satisfied from the service and the care at the clinic, Sophia decided to join the

program, “I want to have more help, gain new knowledge and skills to help my child

grow and develop normally. I expect Noels will continue to improve as I learn

more. Also, I want to work closely with RCP caregivers to get support on how to raise

well my kids. I hope to have a happy life with my family.”

"Life has never been the same since my family joined RCP," said Sesiana and

continued, "Truly, there is a big difference from how we raised Immanuel and our

other two children. When Immanuel was born, the program did not exist, but the

other two children have grown with the directions of the RCP Program. It’s been very

easy and smooth to raise the last two with the instructions that we are given from

the RCP Center."

Meet Sesiana Duma, a mother of three from Ipalamwa, who enrolled in the RCP

Program since it's inception in July 2017. "We are a farming family. We mainly grow

corn and beans, as well as some fruits such as avocados. My husband and I do

whatever we can to make sure we provide our children with all they need."

SESIANA DUMA

LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME SINCE MY FAMILY JOINED RCP

Son Immanual - age 6

Daughter Livaeli - age 3

Daughter Faith - age 6

months

Sesiana and Tidali have 3

children:

Lives in

Ipalamwa, Tanzania

Happily married to

Tidali

Joined the RCP Program

in July 2017

Sesianabelieves that

"I have been spreading the word

to other people that it is very

important to breastfeed

exclusively the first six months."

Read more about Sesiana and other RCP families at our blog

Sesiana said that the most important thing that she learned so far is the importance

of breastfeeding, "Faith, my youngest, was very tiny when she was born, but I

breastfed her faithfully and exclusively for six months and she is now very healthy. I

have been spreading the word to other mothers that it is very important to

breastfeed exclusively the first six months, because I sometimes see that their

children are very weak and they give them solid food in early stages."

Sesiana shared the significance of a nutritious diet and the difference that is making

to her family, "The whole family eats the RAH meals. The children love the meals so

much and they enjoy having them every day. Now, our children look healthier,

happy all the time and active compared to how they were before."

The RCP mother also shared that her family’s health greatly improved after they

adopted improved hand-washing habits and technology at their homes. “We have

seen a huge difference since we started using the hand-washing stations. Before we

had a hand-washing station, the trips to dispensaries were endless within a short

period of time. We were given a lot of medicines to cure the diseases that our

children were suffering from and it was mainly stomach fever, running nose, and

coughing,” said RCP mother Sesiana and

added, “Since we started using the hand-

washing station that was installed for

us, we have not experienced any type of

sickness and thus we discovered that

hand washing with clean water and soap

is very important to everyone’s health!

We usually tell our children the importance

of washing their hands frequently and that

it will help them be healthy all the time. We

lead by example for our children.”

Agness said that since she joined the RCP Program back in 2018, she has learned a

lot, “At a workshop I was taught how to treat a cough using the steam of the

Eucalyptus leaves. Since I treated my child this way, he is no longer suffering from

coughing. The way my last child, Meshack, is growing is very different from other

children that I have. was raising the previous ones without great knowledge that we

have now. In that matter, I find that my baby is growing very well compared to the

others.”

Meet Agness Tula, a mother of six from Ipalamwa, "I am working hard to make sure

I provide for all the needs my children have. Challenges are always present, but as

parents we usually make sure that everything is on point especially on the matter

of food to the family."

AGNESS TULA

RCP PROVIDES GREAT AND NEEDED SERVICES TO ALL PARTICIPANTS

Son Halodi - age 20

Son Rashid - age 15

Daughter Happy - age 14

Son Stephano - age 12

Daughter Anna - age 10

Son Meshack - age 14 monhts

Agness and Neto have six children:

Lives in

Ipalamwa, Tanzania

Happily married to

Neto

Joined the RCP Program

in September 2018

Agness said that

"I feel very happy and peaceful

whenever I see my family. I look

forward to learning more about

caring for my family."

Read more about Agness and other RCP families at our blog

“I thank God that the RCP Program has come

to our village,” said Agness and continued, “Our

lives have been assured to some extent because

we can get great health services quickly.

Formerly, we were just thinking of going to Iringa

for the birth of our children, which was very

costly and high-risk, because most babies were

delivered on the way, and sometimes mothers or

babies died. But since the program is here, we

are benefiting from a lot of services and for free.

The services are great at the Ipalamwa General

Clinic (IGC).”

Agness believes that the RCP Program provides

the knowledge to improve their health and

nutrition, and help her children reach their full

potential, “We have got a lot of advantages

from the hand-washing workshop and hand-

washing station because formerly we didn’t

consider the importance of hand washing,

which resulted in the attack of diseases like

coughing, fungus, diarrhea and stomach

fever. When I attended the workshop, I learned

that we were supposed to be washing our hands

after many activities. Now I know it works

because as soon as we started to practice, the

rate of diseases went down."

Agness also highlighted the importance of meal

distribution for her family, "The meals are very

important to us because first of all they reduce

hunger. My baby is usually full and his weight

keeps on increasing. As soon as he started to eat

that food, he became healthy and active all the

time."

"I feel very happy and peaceful whenever I see

my family. I look forward to learning more about

caring for my family. I love everything about the

RCP Program, and I wish I had joined the

program since the beginning when it started,"

said Agness.

"At the beginning, I was very frustrated when the father of my child did not accept

responsibility for his son. But now I have accepted the situation since I can provide

each and every thing my child would need. My mother named him Emmanuel which

means God with us. I’m proud to be a mother, and I’m working hard in the fields so I

can provide for Emmanuel. I wish he’ll become a pilot one day and I will do my best

to provide what is best for him to reach his dreams." said Sharon.

Sharon Kaywanga was one of the first mothers to join the RCP Program in its

inception in 2017. As a single mother who raises her 4-year-old son by herself,

Sharon works to provide a good life to her son.

SHARON KAYWANGA

THE RCP PROGRAM ADDED VALUE TO OUR LIVES

Son Emmanuel - age 4 and a half

Sharon has one child:

Lives in

Ipalamwa, Tanzania

Single mother

Joined the RCP Program

in July 2017

Sharon said that

"The program has added value to

my life because there were so

many important things I didn’t

know before. Now my life is easier

with this information."

Read more about Sharon and other RCP families at our blog

“Since we entered into the RCP Program, Emmanuel’s health is great because I

have been learning what I have to offer for my child to grow better,” said

Sharon enthusiastically and added “I have learned about nutrition and hygiene

through the workshops and home visits.”

As every RCP family, Sharon has been provided with her own container gardens, “I

grow green peppers in my EarthBox to add vitamins to our bodies. I usually put them

in food when I cook, and it makes the food tasteful and smell great.” RCP families are

also provided with a hand-washing station. “After I attended the workshop on hand

washing, I shared all the information with my family, and we all started to practice. I

live in my parent's home with my son and my siblings. Now I have taught my

Emmanuel to use the hand-washing station, even though sometimes is tough for

him to use it alone, I help him whenever he wants to use it. I have learned how

washing our hands is really because the body will be protected from diseases. I have

seen the importance of washing hands with soap and clean water because

since we started practicing that, we are not experiencing diseases like diarrhea

as before,” Sharon stated.

“The program has added value to my life because there were so many important

things I didn’t know before. Now my life is easier with this information. The services

are great and the people are very professional. The services that we get from

Ipalamwa General Clinic you can’t find anywhere else in the village. We are grateful

that Global Volunteers!”

Yunisi said that being part of the RCP has improved her family's life in many levels,

“From the workshops, we learned that washing hands with soap and clean water

removes all the bacteria and provides prevention against diseases. Truly, since we

started to faithfully practice all the procedures for hand washing, life has been

different, we do not experience regular sickness as we did before. Apart from

washing hands, I always insist on cleanliness, especially boiling drinking water and

keeping it in a safe place. This has also helped the health of my family."

Meet Yunisi Chusi, a mother of six from Lulindi, "My husband and I work together

to make sure our family meets its basic needs. We are a farming family. We mainly

farm corn and beans, but we also grow other crops in small quantity."

YUNISI CHUSI

FOOD SECURITY FOR MY FAMILY

Daughter Olida - age 18

Son Augustino - age 16

Son Isaya - age 14

Daughter Ester - age 10

Daughter Sayuni - age 7

Daughter Irene - age 19 monhts

Yunisi and Alex have six children:

Lives in

Lulindi, Tanzania

Happily married to

Alex

Joined the RCP Program

in December 2018

Yunisi said that

"Before the RCP program, we were

behind in so many things. We did

not know about things that are

important to our health."

Read more about Yunisi and other RCP families at our blog

Meal distributions have also had a significant impact to increase the food security of

her family, “The Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals are also very helpful because

my baby is becoming healthier and her weight keeps on increasing. I have also

noticed the difference with some of my children who are at the primary school, since

they started meal distributions at the primary school, they look active and happy all

the time, and their understanding has increased.”

“Apart from the RAH meals, we always eat ugali, rice, bananas, yams, potatoes,

beans, peas, sardines, and vegetables. We get vegetables every day and fruits like

bananas and avocados, but meat depends on the availability in the village. We

usually eat meat twice a month. My children always appreciate the food that we

provide them,” said Yunisi.

“I have an EarthBox given to me through the RCP Program where I grow green

peppers, so I usually add green pepper almost in every food that I cook and the food

becomes tasty with good smell. Vegetables are very important to our health because

they help our bodies to fight against diseases. I want to also learn how to raise

chickens through RCP, because my chickens always die and I fail to keep

them,” Yunisi shared.

"Before the RCP Program, we were behind in so many things. We did not know about

things that are important to our health, but we are grateful that the program was

brought here and that it has opened our eyes to things that we didn’t know. I like

everything about the program and I pray that it continues because it is very

helpful to our community," said Yunisi.

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