By Vincent Khonje

Mchinji, August 24, Mana:  World Vision Malawi (WVM) has launched the ENOUGH Campaign to eliminate child hunger and malnutrition in the country.

The initiative is a three-year global effort aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Number Two, which aims to achieve a world free from hunger by 2030.

Minister of Gender, Social Welfare, and Community Development, Jean Sendeza, presided over the official launch, at Kalulu Primary School ground in Mchinji on Friday.

Sendeza said the campaign's importance is to ensure that children across the country have access to proper and nutritious food.

"Although some districts yield more food crops, children still lack proper food, the ENOUGH campaign is here to make sure that our children are eating properly. If children have enough food and are eating properly, they will be able to attend school and thrive," said Sendeza.

The Minister also called on extension workers from the agriculture and community development sectors to actively engage with communities.

"I urge extension workers to go around the communities and teach how to prepare proper meals," she said.

WVM Country Director, Francis Dube, said the aim of the campaign is to end child hunger and malnutrition in the country.  

He said the project will ensure that Malawi has access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, significantly reducing hunger and malnutrition.

“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that no child should suffer due to hunger. This campaign is built on three pillars which are enough food, enough resources and enough will,” said Dube.

Also speaking at the launch was Traditional Authority (TA) Kapondo who said the project will help people to produce more relevant food.

“When we talk of malnutrition we talk of food which mostly is scarce. We are hopeful that with the project the food will be made available and we will also be able to diversify our farming,” said TA Kapondo.

The ENOUGH Campaign comes at a critical time for Malawi as national statistics mirror the rise in hunger and food insecurity.

Among others, the campaign will concentrate more on school feeding and distribution of farm inputs to households to reduce hunger.

Approximately 35.5 per cent of children under five years old in Malawi are stunted, and nearly 40 per cent of the population is likely to experience acute food insecurity.

The $44 million ENOUGH project is a direct outcome of one of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera's foreign trips, where he met with officials from World Vision International (WVI).