By Lisa Lamya

Blantyre, August 15, Mana: In a bid to prevent iron deficiency and anaemia in adolescent girls between the ages of 10 and 19, a German KFW funded project is providing the girls with Iron Folic Acid (IFA) supplements.

The development is said to be addressing the problem of absenteeism among female learners especially during their menstrual period.

Ivy Mbalame, a Standard 8 learner at Mwayi Primary School in Mgalamadzi Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Machinjiri in Blantyre told Malawi News Agency (Mana) on the side-lines of a media tour that ever since she started taking the tablets her well-being has improved.

“During our menstruation period, we lose some essential nutrients but we get iron tablets which replenish those lost nutrients,” Mbalame said.

Before receiving the tablets, the girls are given nutritious porridge, according to Eveless Ntope, a Sanitation Health and Nutrition (SHN) teacher at Mwayi Primary school.

“It is difficult for some families to provide nutritious food to their children, as such we give them IFA supplements so that they reduce the risk of developing iron deficiency and anaemia,” Ntope said.  

Ntope said the learners receive IFA supplements once a week.

The KFW project is being implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund in collaboration with Farmers Union of Malawi and Malawi Government.