Encouraging Breastfeeding in Rwanda
Photo by Fred Hirwa/CRS
At their home in Kigali, Rwanda, twins Chloe and Armel are having breakfast. Their father, Musindi, holds them and ensures that each one is fed. Inside the bedroom, their mother Asifiwe is breastfeeding their six-week-old baby, Aela Princesse, who has just woken up.
It was just 11 months ago that Asifiwe learned that she was pregnant with Aela Princesse, while Chloe and Armel were one-and-a-half years old. Following advice from those around her, she was told to stop breastfeeding her twins, as she was convinced that continuing to breastfeed while pregnant could be detrimental to both her health and the health of her baby.
Asifiwe plays with her youngest child, Aela Princesse, at her home in Kigali, Rwanda.
Photo by Fred Hirwa/CRS
Asifiwe stopped breastfeeding her twins, hoping it was the best decision for her growing family. Deprived of the essential nutrients and comfort from their mother's milk, the twins began to show signs of malnutrition.
“When I took my children to the monthly nutrition screening, the Community Health Workers screened them and realized their nutritional status was becoming alarming,” Asifiwe says.
A few weeks later, a community health worker trained by the US Agency for International Development-funded Inclusive Nutrition and Early Childhood Development project, locally known as USAID Gikuriro Kuri Bose, visited Asifiwe’s home and explained the importance of continued breastfeeding, even during pregnancy. She assured Asifiwe that with proper nutrition and care, she could breastfeed her twins and still have a healthy pregnancy.
“She taught me to breastfeed my twins up to two years,” Asifiwe explains.
Reassured by the community health worker, Asifiwe resumed breastfeeding her twins. She also focused on eating a nutritious diet that included vegetables and fruits to support her own health and that of her unborn child. Gradually, the twins regained weight and became healthy again.
After several months, Asifiwe gave birth to Aela Princesse. The safe delivery of Aela and the improved health of the twins brought immense joy and relief to the family. Today, the twins are thriving, and baby Aela Princesse is growing well under Asifiwe’s attentive care.
Asifiwe, her husband, Musindi, and their children Armel, Chloe and Aela Princesse at their home in Nyarugenge district.
Photo by Fred Hirwa/CRS
The family’s journey has become a source of knowledge in the community. Asifiwe shares her experience with other mothers, advocating for the benefits of breastfeeding and the importance of seeking reliable health information.
Chloe and Armel continue to attend the monthly nutrition screenings and their mother has learned a lot about child nutrition through her attendance at the village nutrition school. Asifiwe has not only secured a healthy future for her own children but has also inspired countless others to prioritize their children's health and well-being.
“I feel excited seeing my twins growing healthy,” Asifiwe said. “The lessons I learned about breastfeeding, I’ll continue applying them to my younger daughter and educate other mothers about the importance of breastfeeding.”
The USAID Gikuriro Kuri Bose project has trained more than 5,000 community health workers operating in 10 districts. They conduct monthly screening for malnutrition and follow up on the health of children in the villages, encouraging mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies in the first six months and continue to breastfeed up to two years.
USAID Gikuriro Kuri Bose is a five-year USAID-funded program aiming to improve the health, functioning, nutritional status, and well-being of women of reproductive age and children under six years of age, with an emphasis on the 1,000-day window, strengthen the inclusion of children and adults with disabilities and improve positive parenting and child development. The program is implemented by a consortium led by Catholic Relief Services in 10 districts of Rwanda.
Through community health workers, the USAID Gikuriro Kuri Bose currently reaches more than 160,000+ mothers, educated on exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months, complementary feeding for children above six months, hygiene and good breastfeeding practices..
