Zambia: Spreading the Message on Good Nutrition Through Song

Zambia’s Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition Alliance (CSO-SUN Alliance) has teamed up with Muvi Posse to produce a nutrition theme song as part of their efforts to sensitize the public on the importance of nutrition during the 1,000 window.

April 19, 2013 - Last update: February 10, 2023

The song was written by James Ngoma, leader of Muvi Posse Band, and features Indi K, Winston Moyo, Mwila and Sebastian Mutale.

The Muvi Posse Band is a multiple-award winning Zambian musical group composed of solo artists who came together for the purpose of improving the nature of Zambian music. Founded in 1997, the band has been involved in developmental campaigns winning awards such us KORA, MNET, HIV and AIDS Campaign awards.

James Ngoma has a passion for the welfare of children and the underprivileged in society. He heard about the 1000 Days on Radio Phoenix program ‘Let the People Talk’ a popular and interactive radio program. He decided to visit the CSO-SUN secretariat the following day for more information on the First 1000 Most Critical Days Program. During the conclusion of his visit, James asked the CSO-SUN secretariat if he could compose a theme song for the campaign based on the information he had just received. The secretariat agreed and promised him that if he came up with a song that would communicate the 1000 Days message, it would officially become the theme song for the Zambia CSO-SUN.

The SUN Government Focal Point (National Food and Nutrition Commission – NFNC) contributed to the development of the song through commenting on the lyrics.

The Muvi Posse Band first performed the song live during the launch of the 1000 Most Critical Days National Program launch on 3rd April 2013. The second live performance was at the launch of the Maternal Newborn and Child Health Roadmap on 11th April 2013. There has been positive reaction to the song from government, cooperating partners, civil society and the general public. In fact, the second performance was at the request of the Ministry of Community Development and Mother and Child Health.

The song was finalized at the end of March 2013. The CSO-SUN plan is to distribute it all radio stations across the country. The Zambia CSO-SUN Alliance is organizing a theme song media launch to kickoff before the end of April 2013. The CSO-SUN Alliance is also in the process of producing a video that depicts the 1,000 Days message in relation to the song. The song will be translated in five different local languages.