By Patriot Corps
Kampala
The Prime Minister of Uganda has launched the “Enough” campaign in Uganda aimed at addressing hunger and malnutrition in the country.
The Prime Minister, who was represented by the 3rd deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio Rt. Hon. Rukia Nakadama Isanga, lauded World Vision for the initiative to address a challenge that is affecting education in the country.
“The Enough campaign is well aligned to the global commitments under the sustainable development goals (2), Africa Agenda 2063, and the East African Community Vision 2050,” noted Nakadama.
SDG 2 is about creating a world free of hunger by 2030.The global issue of hunger and food insecurity has shown an alarming increase since 2015, a trend exacerbated by a combination of factors including the pandemic, conflict, climate change, and deepening inequalities according to the World health organization’s report.
Nakadama said that such interventions are key in attaining the country’s 2040 vision as outlined in the National development plan III and the successor plan that is in the offing.
The function took place at Sheraton Hotel Kampala where a number of children exhibited the need for feeding while at school and even while at home.
Nakadama said that Uganda is endowed with plenty of food but it’s unfortunate that some children go hungry while at school and even at home.
“What explanation can we give to have wasted, malnourished and obese children yet we are the food basket of the region? Asked Nakadama.
Uganda has at least 3.2% of the children underweight while 3.4% are obese.
She said that the government will work closely with World Vision to ensure that the program achieves its intended goal and objectives.
The minister of state for primary education Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu said that feeding of the children as per the 2008 education act, is a sole responsibility of the parents or guardians.
“The law is very clear that feeding of children is the responsibility of the parents or guardians because government pays teachers’ salaries, buys textbooks and other essentials to enable learning,” said Kaducu.
She however welcomed the Enough campaign saying that it will address the existing gaps in feeding for both in school and out of school children.
Dr. Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary ministry of health said that community involvement is key if such initiatives are to succeed.
“If you want this intervention to succeed, community involvement is crucial because they have to own it and look at it as their own,” said Atwine.
Joseph Ssewungu, the shadow education minister said that government needs to come up with a policy to operationalize the education act of 2008.
“We have no policy on feeding of children and government knows this but only shying away from its responsibility. Children will continue dropping out school because government has failed to come up with a policy on feeding,” said Ssewungu.
The national director World Vision Uganda Jeremiah Nyanga said that they aim to end hunger and malnutrition among children and 15 million dollars will be invested in two years.
The Campaign being spearheaded by World Vision Uganda aims at ensuring children both in school and out of school get enough nutritional food for better growth and performance in schools.
“A life of plenty for every child has always been possible, but that’s not reality. Every single day, children are being forced to go without food,” said Nyanga.
Statistics show that up to 783 million people in the world faced hunger in 2022. Shockingly, there is no exact number describing how many of those people suffering from hunger and malnutrition were children.
Child hunger is at its worst in generations. Children are bearing the brunt of an unequal food system disrupted by conflicts and climate change.
Every child deserves the food they need to develop a healthy body and mind. Every family has the right to be able to put enough of the right food on the table. We must take action immediately.