At just 16 years of age, Amy Mandiang’s ambition is to become a doctor, and her hard work at school and as a volunteer ‘nutrition champion’ in her community are helping to pave the way towards attaining her bright future. Amy is a member of the Young Girl Leader Clubs in Kolda, Senegal, an initiative supported by the PINKK project to both empower young women and instil good nutrition and hygiene practices in the area.
Since its inception in December 2015, the project has worked to improve nutritional and health security in Kolda, an area which has suffered from one of the highest food-insecurity rates in the country. No single solution can tackle this complex challenge, and PINKK’s innovative approach has been to implement a broad, targeted package of interventions, including nutrition and hygiene practices, as well as health care, agriculture, and business development – all with the direct involvement of community members like Amy.
PINKK’s support of the Young Girl Leader Clubs are a part of this solution. The project has supported 30 existing clubs and set up 15 additional ones in more remote areas, directly benefiting a total of 1430 girls to date and creating a new generation of role models for the entire community.
As part of her club membership, Amy regularly visits three families of young girls, and, following the nutrition and hygiene training she received from PINKK, she instructs the children and their mothers on regular hand washing, the washing of food, and the consumption of nutritious foods to ensure children grow up strong and healthy.
Adana, one of Amy’s two-year old charges, learns how to use the tippy tap, installed with training and support from PINKK outside most of the houses in the village. Children in Kolda frequently suffered from diarrhea, due in part to a lack of information about the importance of handwashing. Each year, thousands of Senegalese children die of diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections; a huge portion of these deaths could be prevented by washing hands adequately with soap and running water, and Amy’s lesson to Adana works to counter this trend.
The tippy tap is an effective, simple hygiene solution in areas without running water. Consisting of a soap stand and a plastic bottle filled with clean water collected earlier from the well, the tippy tap disburses water with the press of a foot pedal. They can be built at a minimum cost and effort using readily available items, and are easy enough for even Adana to use.
After they have washed their hands, Amy and Adana share a papaya, and Amy explains its benefits - a rich source of micronutrients like Vitamin A, critical for children under five to boost their immune system and prevent blindness. In an area where malnutrion and child mortality rates are high, a more diversified diet complete with essential micronutrients is a simple and cost-effective way to ensure children’s survival and good health.
Papaya trees are now widespread in gardens in the village, following PINKK’s support to farmers in growing nutrient-rich foods, including the distribution of fruit tree seedlings and seeds, and training in growing vegetables and fruits.
Amy understands the nutritional benefits of fruit and vegetables well, helping her mother tend their family garden.
“In the past, only a few people maintained gardens, particularly during the dry season. Now that I know how different foods can be good for health, especially for children, I encourage everyone to do it,” says Amy.
Amy’s self-assurance is all the more impressive considering the traditional barriers faced by young women in Kolda. Education often came second to making ends meet, particularly for girls who faced additional tasks of looking after siblings, fetching water and cooking. A lack of information on reproductive health also meant that teenage pregnancies and early marriage were particularly high, leading to further school drop-outs.
“Because of their gender and young age, girls in the Kolda region are more susceptible to fall victim to violence, female genital mutilation and early pregnancy,” says Cheikh Tidiane Samb, Regional Nutrition and Public Health Coordinator at Nutrition International. “It is therefore critical to strengthen girls' leadership to enable them to defend their interests and needs at the community level. In short, to be recognized.”
The clubs have helped girls achieve this aim, by teaching them topics like sex education and encouraging them to stay at school. As a result, Amy and her friends are a new, confident breed of young women better equipped to serve their communities. Club members spread the message to their friends at school, and the young girls they mentor.
“School is important for girls because it can help them get good jobs and the means to look after their families,” says Amy. “I want to be a doctor, so that I can continue to participate in my village and to help people.”
The volunteer activities supported by PINKK have given young women the confidence, expertise to take on future leadership roles in their community, backed by good health and nutrition. Strong community ownership of health and nutrition activities is a key part of PINK’s sustainability strategy, giving people the tools to implement and innovate beyond these valuable advances in the future.