Leafy green vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet, since they are packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre.

As Rwanda continues its fight against malnutrition and stunting among children, the government and other stakeholders keep reminding families about the importance of having vegetable gardens.

With such measures and more, the country has registered improvement in child nutrition, where, according to the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) 2020, the percentage of stunted children under the age of 5 dropped to 33 per cent in 2020 from 38 per cent in 2015.

The government’s target is to reduce stunting to 19 per cent in 2024, and thus, the current efforts need to be stepped-up.

Last week, The New Times visited Bugesera district, and looked at the implementation of vegetable gardens among the citizens.

Donata Mukankusi, a resident of Kabeza village, Juru sector speaks to the media about the importance of vegetable gardens. / Craish Bahizi

According to Viateur Ndayisabye, the District Health Officer, more than 90 per cent of the homes in the district have vegetable gardens, and this plays a role in fighting malnutrition.

"The vegetable gardens are important in our fight against malnutrition,” he says.

"We want every family to have a vegetable garden, and they are responding well to our call. Many families have such gardens, and this is a tool for fighting malnutrition and stunting,” he adds.

Jackline Uwimana, a mother of two residing in Gikana village in Kabukuba cell, Juru sector, Bugesera district, says one of her children was affected by malnutrition some years ago, but the vegetable garden played a role in reviving him.

"The Community Health Workers (CHWs) told us about the importance of having vegetable gardens, and then I built one. My boy is now six years old and he is okay. I have two children but none of them is malnourished,” she says.

Donata Mukankusi, a resident of Kabeza village in the same sector also talks about how important a vegetable garden is in her family’s daily life.

 "Any the time when you need vegetables, you can get them from your garden. You simply pick up a knife and go harvest some,” says the mother of four.

"In the past, a person could even spend 3 weeks without eating vegetables. Sometimes we had to buy them. However, in 2019, the district health official assisted us to make vegetable gardens, and they have been important in preventing stunting.”

Chriserie Dushimirimana, a resident of Rwamakara village in Juru sector, a mother of four says having a vegetable garden helps her save the money that she would have spent on buying vegetables.

"I can spend it on other things needed by my children,” she says.

According to statistics from the DHS 2020, stunting in Bugesera district reduced from 39.4 per cent in 2015 to 26.1 per cent in 2020.

Such has been achieved through a number of measures, for example, the provision of nutritious flour "shisha kibondo” to poor families, sensitization of citizens about the importance of a balanced diet and how to prepare it, providing fruit tree seedlings (mangoes, oranges and avocado) to poor families for planting, among other things.

Jackline Uwimana, a mother of two residing in Gikana village, Juru sector, Bugesera district also says vegetable gardens play an important role in improving children's nutrition. / Craish Bahizi

Healthy children in Bugesera District. / Craish Bahizi

Viateur Ndayisabye, the Health Officer of Bugesera District, during an interview with The New Times on April 21. / Craish Bahizi