COMBATING MALNUTRITION: Improving the health of malnourished children in southern Gaza
7 May 2009
Al Karmel Nutrition Programme
Jord al-Luut is a crumbling neighbourhood on the outskirts of Khan Younis city, in the southern Gaza Strip. Most of the families here struggle to make ends meet. Unemployment and poverty are chronic problems, and life is even harder now, in the aftermath of Israel's devastating offensive on Gaza, which destroyed thousands of civilian homes across the Strip. Some local families are hosting relatives whose homes were recently destroyed, stretching their meager resources, including their ability to feed their children, even further.
Maha and her husband, Abu Mousa, have eight children, including five daughters. Their home in Jord al-Luut was badly damaged during the offensive, when the Israeli army destroyed the metal workshop next door.
Now they are living with Maha's mother. 'My husband has been out of work for almost nine years' says Maha. 'Feeding our children is one of my main worries.'
Medical Aid for Palestinians is funding a child nutrition project that provides healthy meals to four hundred children from impoverished families across Khan Younis. Two of Maha's daughters, fifteen year old Mai and twelve year old Maisa, have enrolled in the project, and both of them are now enjoying three nutritious lunches a week, which they eat at a local community centre.
The girls were selected for the project by a child nutrition specialist, also funded by MAP, who targets the most severely malnourished local children, then plans a carefully balanced diet of good quality local food to increase their weight and overall health. Mai and Maisa now eat fresh meat, fruit and vegetables on a regular basis.
'My girls have been attending the project since November [2008]' says Maha. 'It has made a real difference. Mai has put on weight, and both of them are doing better at school. Their teachers tell me they have more concentration.' Mai, who is still skinny and looks much younger than fifteen, says the project workers also talk to them about nutrition and personal health. 'They teach us about balancing our food, looking after our health and taking exercise' she says. 'And the food is tasty!'
During the recent offensive on Gaza, the Israeli military killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, including 313 children. The offensive finished just over three months ago, on 18 January, but Israel's continuing blockade and closure of the Gaza Strip is still severely damaging the physical and mental health of the 1.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza.
MAP is working with sixteen local partners across the Gaza Strip to improve the health of Palestinians. According to child health specialists, like Mohamed, who has coordinated the Khan Younis child nutrition project since 2005, children are being severely affected by the continuing blockade, especially those from impoverished families.
'When this nutrition project first started, we were feeding one hundred and fifty malnourished local children' says Mohamed. 'But we have extended our project because of overwhelming demand from local families. Now we're feeding 400 children - but many other families want to join the project.'
Mohamed and his team work with each child for at least eight months, carefully monitoring their health and development. 'After eight months there is a substantial improvement in their overall health' he says. 'But the number of malnourished children in Gaza is increasing every year, and the situation is getting worse because of the siege and closure. This project needs to continue for the sake of these children.'