Uganda: Civil Society Coalition on Scaling Up Nutrition Event

The Uganda Civil Society Coalition on Scaling Up Nutrition (UCCO-SUN) organised several events as contributions towards the Global Day of Action Activities. On 6 June, it organised several policy-makers to come together to discuss important issues around nutrition in Uganda.

The half day dialogue was moderated by Baguma Richard, the Coordinator of Uganda Health Communication Alliance, a member organisation of UCCO-SUN, who spoke of the “need to talk of nutrition issues as everyday issues”. Other speakers included Kato Petersen, Muniirah Mbabazi, and Peter Rukundo of Kyambogo University.

UCCO-SUN released a statement calling on the Government of Uganda to “increase the health budget allocation from the persistent 9% to 15% of the total national budget in the FY 2013/14 as per the Abuja Declaration” and to “prioritise investment in implementation the Uganda Nutrition Action Plan”. The dialogue was widely covered in the media, including in The New Vision, Daily Monitor, The Observer, CBS FM, Capital FM, Prime Radio, Voice of Africa, Urban TV, Record TV, UBC TV among others.

On 8 June, UCCO-SUN organised a mass rally outside of Uganda’s national museum, featuring over 200 children from local schools. Members of UCCO-SUN visited one of the remotely located schools Kisimbiri Primary School in Wakiso district. Twalabye Beatrace , the Head Mistress Kisimbiri Primary School said more than 70% i.e. 782 of the 1000 pupils in the school go without lunch. “Some come from child headed families that find it hard to avail food for the children,” she added.

Nutricare Uganda served Soya porridge to the entire school, which left the children very happy. Gumisiriza Reuben, the Transport Manager of Nutricare Uganda said that the Organization operated in Bananya and Kisimbiri primary schools where they offer nutritious porridge and firewood that is used to cook it.

At the end of the event, the children raised flowers to support and raise attention to the 200 children who die daily from nutrition related causes. The event was covered by UBC TV, CBS and Bukkedde radios.

Global Day of Action

In the run up to the Nutrition for Growth: Beating Hunger through Business and Science meeting on the 8th June, SUN Civil Society Alliances have take part in campaign actions around the world.

These actions highlighted to political leaders the importance of investing in nutrition, and were part of efforts happening all around the world as part of the Global Day of Action,

Scaling up Nutrition Civil Society Alliances led campaign efforts in Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia – holding round tables with politicians, public rallies, concerts and debates – all with the aim of asking their own national governments to do what’s necessary to tackle hunger and malnutrition. READ MORE ▶