A 65-year-old Public Health Nurse has earned a nomination in this year’s MTN Heroes of Change due to her dedication to tackling malnutrition in the Northern region.
Rev. Mrs. Sanatu Nantogma who is also the Executive Director of Tuma Kavi Development Association (TKDA), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) said she was moltivated by the challenge with malnutrition for children under 5 leading to underdevelopment and high child mortality.
“What motived me to establish the TKDA was that I realised there was malnutrition among children under 5 leading to underdevelopment and high child mortality in the various communities of the two regions.
“I started educating women in my spare time on preparing a balanced diet for children. During the famine of 1983, women were unable to obtain ingredients for meals and yet did not farm due to traditions,” Mrs Nantogma noted.
According to her, this, among other factors, drove her to begin an initiative to support women and also provide healthy meals for children in the two regions.
Mrs Nantogma disclosed that her outfit’s first intervention was providing women in Moglaa of the Northern Region with seedlings and basic inputs through donations from concerned family and friends.
She pointed out that the husbands of these women were engaged as stakeholders and agreed to provide an acre each to their wives.
The 65-year-old public health nurse indicated that the success of her project led to the formation of cooperatives, which were supported by formal funding agencies.
Continuing, she said that she brings women in the Northern and Upper East Regions together and get professionals to take to them through vocations like soap making, dress making and farming.
“Those who come out successful, I try setting them with little funds or equipment,” she said.
“We also educate mothers on how to feed their wards and what to feed them with. We donate certain basic needs to communities who lack,” she added.
Mrs Nantogma pointed out that 96 Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) in Saboba and Yendi Districts and the 76 VSLAs in the Savelugu-Nanton Municipal-implying 5,160 rural community members (80% females and 20% males) were benefiting from micro credit and financial inclusion project.
She averred that the stigma attached to female farming has been successfully erased.
She disclosed that about 32 Traditional Birth Attendance in rural communities were being supported to set up alternative income generation activities as she gets involve with projects that discourages TBAs from conducting deliveries outside the hospital system.
Mrs Nantogma however called for support from NGOs and government agencies to help address challenges facing underdeveloped children in the society.
According to her, this has become necessary because although TKDA has done a lot to improve girl-child education, women empowerment, eradication of poverty and health of babies, the association has found it extremely difficult to finance the project.
She said for now TKDA was relying on donations from individuals and organisations to address challenges with malnutrition amongst children in the Northern and Upper East Regions.
• How do you fund the project?
I am basically funded by Christian children’s Fund of Canada , EDUCO and Korean International
cooperation Agency.
How much impact has your project had?
• Each year, over 1,664 children who are enrolled in a sponsorship program received financial
and material support from their sponsors in Canada, which has increased school enrolment in
over 39 basic schools especially the girl-child.
• Five 3-classroom blocks and teachers’ quarters constructed.
• Exercise books, recreational facilities and furniture have been provided for the use of school
children and teachers.
• Three 11 seater KVIPs have been constructed for three schools.
• This year alone, over 120 school children have been trained for child-to-child sanitation
education.
• 21 hand-dug wells constructed and a dam redeveloped to increase access of water for the
people-this include a recent borehole done for a community in the UER with the support
from development Partners.
• 3,000 soak aways have been constructed in 13 communities for 258 households and this hasreduced the incidence of malaria in these communities.
• 96 Village Savings and Loans Associations in Saboba and Yendi Districts, and the 76 VSLAs in the Savelugu-Nanton Municipal-implying 5,160 rural community members (80% females and 20% males) are benefiting from the micro credit and financial inclusion project.
• The stigma attached to female farming has been successfully erased and since then women
have more involved in commercial farming.
• Currently about 32 Traditional Birth Attendance in rural communities are being supported to
set up alternative income generation activities as she gets involve with projects that discourages TBAs from conducting deliveries outside the hospital system.
• The Family Reproductive Health Project increases knowledge of HIV/AIDS, Family Planning and Safe Motherhood practices.
• Skills training for 114 young people in carpentry and dress making, vulcanizing, catering, and barbering, hairdressing and soap making .
• Supported over 30 volunteer teachers to obtain Diplomas in Education on condition they will return to teach on local communities.
• School blocks constructed- 17
• NYEKO primary
• Zokuga primary
• Nyolugu primary
• Yong primary
• Zogu primary
• Batangyili ecd
• KUKUO ecd
• Sandu primary
• Duko primary
• Dinga primary
• Sahakpalgu primary
• Kalvio primary
• DEMONG primary
• Tanjameli ecd
• Wanbung ecd
• Zakoli ecd
• Gnani ecd
• Libraries constructed – 2
• Moglaa
• Kalvio
Clinics built- 1
• Zoggu
••
Clinics supported- 6
• Zoggu
• Savelugu
• Moglaa
• Demong
• Kpalba
• Gnani
• What are your major achievements?
We have not eradicated poverty totally but it is better than before. In
education we have been able to increase girl child enrollment over the
years. My aim of empowering women has been achieved.
• What challenges have you faced?
My main challenge now is financing to help me continue my projects.
How do you feel when you see the impact your work
has had?
I feel proud and fulfilled with everything the association has been able to
achieve.
• Do you have any plans for the future?
Our plan is to expand our project to all the 3 Northern region.
MTN Heroes of Change: The pastor helping malnourished children in Northern & Upper West regions
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