News

The University of Botswana (UB) recently partnered with the Letlhakeng District Council in advancing community-based efforts to combat child malnutrition through a Child Malnutrition Outreach Initiative held at Ditshegwane on the 22nd of May 2026.

Held under the theme, “Building Healthy Bodies, Brighter Minds,” the initiative focused on strengthening community awareness and promoting practical interventions to address the growing challenge of child malnutrition among children under the age of five (5).

The programme commenced with welcome remarks by Ditshegwane Kgosi, Kgosi Morwaanare, while the Deputy Council Secretary - Operations, Dr Delic Sehunwe, officially set the tone for the outreach by outlining its key objectives. They included raising awareness about the causes and symptoms of child malnutrition, equipping parents and caregivers with practical knowledge on child feeding and nutrition and demonstrating how affordable, nutritious meals can be prepared using locally available ingredients.

District health statistics presented during the outreach revealed a concerning upward trend in underweight malnutrition cases which increased from 5.5 percent in 2023 to 6.1 percent in 2024 and 6.2 percent in 2025, with some health facilities recording even higher prevalence rates. The statistics highlighted the urgent need for strengthened community-driven nutrition interventions to complement ongoing healthcare services.

The district continues to implement several interventions aimed at improving child nutrition and health outcomes. Such include deworming programmes, vitamin A supplementation, growth monitoring, provision of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and zinc sulphate, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for acute malnutrition cases, food basket support and continuous nutrition education for caregivers.

A major highlight of the outreach was a practical nutrition and food preparation session led by Dr Pearl Lefadola, a Culinary Arts Expert from the University of Botswana. Dr Lefadola played a pivotal role in bridging nutrition theory and practice by demonstrating healthy meal planning, safe food-handling practices and cooking methods that preserve nutritional value.

Using locally available foods, she guided caregivers on how to prepare affordable and nutritious meals suitable for children while also equipping them with practical household food-preparation skills that can improve child feeding practices at family level.

The outreach initiative reinforced the importance of community empowerment, practical skills development and multisector collaboration in addressing child malnutrition. It also reflected the UB’s continued commitment to applying academic expertise and community engagement to support national development priorities and improve the wellbeing of communities across the country.

Through such partnerships, stakeholders continue to work towards a shared vision of building healthier bodies and brighter minds for children in Letlhakeng District.