You should have seen for yourself! The children’s plays about proper feeding practices and food security were impressive. The performances featured children from Gahanda Primary School and St Joseph Primary School in Nyanza district. It was held last Friday at Nyanza district hall.

The Women’s Network for Rural Development, based in Kimihurura, Kigali organized the play with support from ActionAid Rwanda, as part of activities to mark the ‘Hunger Free Campaign Week 2011’.

The most entertaining part was the drunken husband scene, where a boy acted as a man who spends most of his time and money on alcohol and neglects his pregnant wife and children’s feeding needs. It put the audience at standstill.

Fifteen-year-old Dianne Niyomubyeyi is an orphaned pupil at Gahanda Primary School in Nyanza District.
She shared her story during a discussion that followed after the play and appealed to parents to avoid wasting money on unnecessary expenditures like alcohol.

"People should ensure food security and eat a balanced diet at home to prevent nutritional diseases.

 Nutrition education is vital for parents, children need proper feeding to perform well in class,” she
said.

The Women’s Network appealed to rural women to engage in income generating activities that lead to good feeding in their families.

Marie Grace Mukakigeri, the Women Network coordinator in Nyanza asked everyone to support women associations, citing the old adage that "if you uplift a woman, you are uplifting the whole family.”

Lucy Kabazaire, a woman councilor in the district emphasised the need for proper feeding practices to promote good health and development.

Ends