REPORT TO GAIN OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER 2019

Name of Organization: Women’s on Health and Economic Empowerment Arusha

(WOHEEA)

Report submitted to: Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

Activity: Further Dissemination of Information for consumption of vegetables

Period covered: October to November 2019

Summary

The consultancy activity given to WOHEEA by GAIN is to further disseminate the information
for consumption of vegetables and fruits to school pupils and community. The general task
is to create awareness on the importance of a healthy diet, dietary diversity and the role of
vegetables fresh and dried among bottom of the pyramid consumers using the below-the-
line approaches.

WOHEEA provided training on vegetables and fruits to 133 people from Moivo and Kiutu
wards. Of the total trainees there were 96 females and 37 males. The participants trained
on vegetables, learned theories on the importance of vegetables and fruits in human body.
They also learnt practical on vegetable food processing. The participants learned types of
gardens and participated in preparation and planting vegetables. Each group planted one
demo plot that shall be used as learning site for the community.

The school pupils was trained on the types of vegetables, the colors of vegetables, the
importance of each color of a vegetable and the need of having own vegetable gardens for
home use. The school pupils prepared school garden for the pupils to learn. Training was
conducted at Imbaseny, Dolly, Sekei and Moivo Primary schools. Total 797 pupils attended
the training; 412 females and 385 males.

The training was extended to the market where there are many people from different
places. WOHEEA made campaign/promotion of the importance of vegetables and fruits to
people. Fliers describing vegetables was distributed to the people. Messages developed by
TAHA and COUNSENUTH were aired during the promotion. Hundreds of people were reached
in the market of Kisongo and Kikatiti. WOHEEA distributed 310 fliers during the vegetable
and fruits campaign/promotion conducted in the markets.

The total budget used to conduct the assignment is US $ 9,000.

Approaches

WOHEEA started by informing the District Councils officials of Meru and Arusha about the
continuation of the project in their area. The ward leaders in the areas where the project
took place were also part of the project. The district Nutrition Officer of Arusha attended the
training in order to see and witness what was taking place concerning the trainings.

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School pupils of standard six and five were chosen to form the vegetable school clubs.

Trainings
Trainings at Ward level

Vegetable food processing was conducted at Kiutu Ward and Moivo Wards. Total of 55
participants from Kiutu attended the training; 38 female and 17 males. In Moivo Ward 78
participants attended the training; 58 females and 20 males. In the first day, the
community at ward level learnt theories on: Terms used such as: Nutrition, Diet, Balance
diet, Snack, Fruits and Vegetables.

Nutrition is a process of nourishing or being nourished especially the process by which a

living organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and for replacement of tissues.

Diet is the kind of food that a person or community habitually eats.

Balanced diet is a diet consisting of a variety of different types of food and providing
adequate amounts of the nutrients necessary for good health. Balanced diet is composed of
Carbohydrates, Protein, Fat, Minerals and Vitamins.

Snack is a small amount of food eaten between meals.

Fruits are sweet and fleshy products of a tree or other plants that contain seed and can be
eaten as food.

Vegetables are parts of the plants that are consumed by humans as food

Different colors of vegetables and fruits and the importance of each color

(i) Group of vegetables and fruits by color

The participants were asked to mention the various types of vegetables found in their area.
They mentioned vegetables such as spinach, Chinese cabbage, mchicha, matembele,
mchicha, mashonanguo, mnafu, ripe banana, oranges, mangoes, pineapples, apples,
peaches and many others.

In the participative way, the facilitators lead the group to explore the types of vegetables
and fruits in their colors and the importance of each group in the human body.

a. Green vegetables and fruits:

This group contains vitamins A, B, C and natural chemicals called caretnoids, indoles and
saponis. The natural chemicals help to prevent some of cancer and heart disease. The
vitamins and minerals in this group improve body immunity; prevent night blindness,
Anemia and constipation. Vitamin C improves healing of wounds and assists the absorption
of iron. Minerals like iron are found in green vegetables which carry the oxygen to the tissue
and allow muscles and brain to work properly. Examples of green vegetables are Spinach,
Matembere, Sukumawiki, Okra, Mchicha, Mnafu, Chinese, Pilipili hoho ya kijani and other
green vegetables.

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 b. White vegetables and spices
White vegetables contain natural chemical like allicin which is found mostly in garlic and it
prevent the body from high blood pressure and heart attack diseases. Example of white
vegetable is garlic, corn flower, ginger and leaks which fight against some form of bacteria,
virus and fungus. Brown spices like ginger and cinnamon increase appetite especially to sick
people.

c. Red vegetables and fruits

Red vegetables contain natural chemical called leucopene which helps to decrease heart
diseases like hypertension and some form of cancer diseases. Vitamins and minerals in this
group nourishes skin and nerves; thus being in healthy condition. This group has vitamin A,
C, K, B complex and minerals as elaborated below:

(i) Vitamins C help the body to use calcium and other nutrients to build bones and blood
vessels. It also increases the body’s ability to absorb iron from non-meat or fish sources and
to fight infections and to heal wounds.

(ii) Vitamins A improves body immunity (reduces the severity of infections), keep the eyes
healthy (prevent night blindness) and to help children grow properly.

(iii) Vitamins B Complex (B1, B2, B3 and B6): helps the nerve system to work properly,
help the body to use micronutrients for energy and other purposes.
(iv) Vitamins B2 prevent a body from cancer and heart diseases.

Folate: Work to make health red blood cell and prevent abnormalities in the fetus.

Minerals: (Potassium, Manganese, Cromium, Iron, Copper, Folate, Phosphorus) and Fibres.
This group improves body immunity; prevent Anaemia in children and pregnant women and
the risks of having child who is mentally and physically damaged.

Fibre: prevent constipation.

(v) Vitamins K assist blood clotting

d. Orange/yellow vegetables and fruits

This group contains Vitamin A, C, Calcium, Zinc and a natural chemical called beta-carotene
which fights against cancer diseases and heart diseases. Vitamin A improves body
immunity; prevent night blindness and Anemia. Vitamin C helps absorption of iron. Minerals
such as zinc and calcium are found in pumpkins. Calcium is for strengthening teeth and
bones. Zinc keeps the immune system working properly, for growth and normal
development for reproduction. Example of these vegetables is carrot, pumpkins, Yellow
hoho, pawpaw, mango and squash.

e. Purple fruits and vegetables

Purple vegetables contain anthrocynin which help to lower the risk from heart diseases,
stroke cancer and loose of memory. Example of purple vegetable is purple cabbage,
eggplant, beetroot, strawberries, grapes and red onions.

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 Above: Theory sessions on vegetables and fruits

Advantages of vegetables and fruits in Human body

The advantages of vegetables and fruits in human body are:

(i) They cure some of diseases and prevent human body from attack of various diseases
associated with bacteria, fungus and virus.

(ii) They help to prevent fetal malformation for example hydrocephalus and spina bifida

(iii) They prevent loose of memory for people

(iv) They keep and maintain body weight because it has no cholesterol

Vegetable food processing

After the training, the participants were divided in groups. Each group was assigned a task
of cooking a certain types of vegetables. They all cooked while preserving the vitamins and
minerals. At the end of cooking all participants celebrate their cooking by eating and testing
all vegetables cooked.

Above: Cooking sessions on vegetables

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Establishment of vegetable garden

In the second day participants learned the importance of home vegetable garden. They
learned the types of vegetable gardens that they can have such as normal small plots
gardens, basin gardens, bags gardens, and kitchen gardens.

Before going to practical work, the participants were oriented on different vegetables that
can be grown in each type of a chosen garden. Also they learnt the different types of local
pesticides that can be used in the vegetables. Those local pesticides are good in organic
farming; thus no chemicals that can harm human body. Those pesticides were displayed so
that every participants can choose and apply those surround them.

After the session all participants participated fully in making the kitchen demo-garden at the
premise of one participant.

Above: Preparation and planting of vegetables in the demo plot garden

(b) Training at schools

The vegetable training was conducted to school pupils of Dolly, Sekei and Imbaseny. The
contents of the training were the same as those given to the community except that they
didn’t cook vegetables.

On theory they learned on:

1. Terms used in such as: Nutrition, Diet, Balanced diet, Snack

2. Contents of a balanced diet
3. Different colors of vegetables and the importance of each color
4. Advantages of vegetables and fruits in Human body
5. List types of vegetables and fruits found in their area and their color.
6. Establishment of home vegetable garden

At the end of the training the facilitators conducted the evaluation of the training. School
pupils were asked what new things they learnt and how they feel after the training. The
reactions of the pupils are as follows:

1. They understand the importance of eating balanced diet every day

2. They understand the types of vegetables, the color of vegetables and the vitamins
and natural chemicals found in each colors

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 3. They learnt that they should avoid peeling the tomatoes and eggplants to avoid
losing the vitamins
4. When cooking vegetables, salt should be added few minutes towards the end of
cooking as cooking for a long time destroy iodine mineral added in salt
5. The importance of establishing home garden for obtaining enough vegetables for
home consumption and sell the rest for earning income

Vegetable demo Gardens

The pupils learnt practically the way of establishing various types of vegetables gardens.
The purpose is to make pupils aware of vegetable gardens that they can make in schools
and home gardens so that they can get enough vegetables for consumption. Vegetables
gardens were established at Sekei, Dolly, Moivo and Imbaseny schools.

Dolly primary school was motivated to the extent that they decided to start their own
nursery farm so that they can plant various seedlings that can fit their climate.

The total number of pupils attended the training are 797 Female 412 and 385 males.

Above: Preparation and planting of vegetables in the school garden

Vegetable and fruits campaign/promotion in the market

WOHHEA made a plan to reach more people with the message of vegetables and fruits
consumption in terms of quality and quantities. Thus it proposed the campaign of reaching
mass people in the market day. WOHEEA managed to promote the use of vegetables and
fruits in Kisongo and Kikatiti markets. In the promotion all five types of the vegetables were
displayed in the market. The drama was used as a strategy to motivate people to visit the
promotion site. The trainers were readily available to attend people who visited the site. The
loud speaker was used so that many people could hear the training by WOHEEA. The
nutrition messages developed by TAHA and COUNSENUTH were further disseminated to the
people. Many people heard those messages.

WOHEEA distributed the 310 fliers carrying massages of the importance of vegetables and
fruits. Some of the people who took fliers wrote down their names, and are included in this
report. We realize that people in the market want to hear messages and training but they
are not interested to write their names in the attendance register. Few people registered
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their names. However many people of different age from different places have learned from
the promotion. Some came physically to ask questions from the trainers.

Above: Market campaign/promotion of vegetables and fruits

Towards the closure of the promotion the market Chairman made a vote on behalf of the
people to thanks to WOHEEA for sending that important promotion to their market place
where many people learned at once. They asked WOHEEA to pay a visit to their villages
where they can organize groups to attend those trainings.

Above: The Market Chairman is giving vote of thanks to WOHEEA and

asks extension of the service

Monitoring and Evaluation

WOHEEA made field visit to the project area to see the progress. In few weeks the
vegetable garden made in schools and to the demo plots of the community are doing well
with vegetables. The participants are happy with the project. In a short time they have
realized that they can have enough vegetables for home consumption and for sale. Through

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vegetable cultivation they can serve money and realize additional income from the sales of
vegetables.

Through the training and growing of vegetables they have proved that Chinese vegetables
have no effect to men as they used to believe.

The participants who used the quantity and quality vegetables have found themselves
healthier. They have started telling other people in the community about the importance of
eating enough and quality vegetables.

The participants after starting growing their own vegetables have self-assurance of their
vegetables because they do not use pesticides/chemicals that might harm their healthy.

Above: Vegetables in school gardens and Vegetables in the demo plot in the community

Remarks
During the training, all participants and school pupils were sensitized about eating enough
fruits and vegetables to avoid problems caused by lack of or low consumption of Vitamins
and minerals (such as iron, iodine, zinc and phosphorous). It was pointed out that, low
consumption of quality and quantity of vegetables, a person might suffer the following
problems: anaemia, fetal abnormalities and miscarriages, night blindness, stunting growth
in children, cancer, skin and Heart problems.

In the final training which was held at Moivo Ward, more people were eager to lean; thus
the number of participants shoot from 50 to 77 participants in a class. The increase of
participants made WOHEEA team to increase the budget for the meal and adjust transport
allowance from 5,000 per person to 3,000 so that it fit to budget.

The vegetable and fruits training are very useful to community. The community realized the
importance of vegetables and fruits in their body. They will inform others on the new things
they learnt.

People who took the fliers from WOHEEA have started calling WOHEEA asking for more
training saying that the training carries important messages that need to be known to the
whole community.

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Promotion of vegetable and fruits consumption by WOHEEA staff in
the market place in pictures

WOHEEA staff ready to start promotion of vegetables and fruits in the market

WOHEEA staff is giving information of vegetables and fruits in the market

Above: People visiting WOHEEA place of campaign/promotion

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 Continues: People visiting WOHEEA place of campaign/promotion

Above: WOHEEA trainers are giving training in the promotion

Above: Drama is used as a media for attracting people to visit the WOHEEA promotion site

Above people are registering their names in the attendance register

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