US-Bangladesh partnership empowering rural teens to champion improved nutrition
USAID’s feed the future Bangladesh nutrition activity organised a national workshop on empowering adolescents for improved nutrition and wash behaviors on 3 May 2023 at Amari hotel of Eden Ballroom in Dhaka. Feed the future Bangladesh nutrition activity is a USAID-funded project being implemented by Abt Associates Inc., said a press release.
The project’s objective is to improve the nutrition outcomes of rural households, especially children under five years, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescents.
Therefore, the nutrition activity has been facilitating rural secondary schools to empower adolescent girls and boys through life skills development, leadership and advocacy skills, education on gender equity, nutrition, health, and hygiene.
Feed the future Bangladesh nutrition activity, since April 2021, has worked with 80 schools in seven districts. Until December 2022, 160 schoolteachers and 17,897 adolescent students have been oriented to improve their knowledge of nutrition and hygiene. Over 13,000 community members have been sensitised by these trained adolescents on improved nutrition and wash behaviors.
The national workshop was conducted as an initial step towards extending the project's adolescent empowerment intervention to a greater number of districts and schools. The workshop featured a presentation from Feed the future Bangladesh nutrition activity on its model for working with rural schools with support from the department of secondary and higher education (DSHE) and in partnership with private sector companies.
The model not only addresses immediate nutrition and washes behaviors but also helps to build long-term capacity in schools and communities and creates a sustainable framework that continues to promote healthy behaviors.
A panel discussion took place where representatives from the government, private sector, and civil society organisations discussed possible solutions to the various challenges faced by adolescents and rural schools in Bangladesh.
The chief guest of the event, senior officials from USAID and Abt Associates delivered speeches and shared their perspectives and messages during the event.
The chief guest Shamsul Alam, state minister for planning, appreciated the efforts of USAID in collaborating with the government and other stakeholders to strengthen rural schools. He said, “Initiatives such as this will not only aid in achieving the country’s SDG goals but also produce intelligent and healthy future leaders who will steer the country towards greater prosperity.”
"By convening stakeholders from different sectors, we hope to encourage sustainable models that can enhance nutrition and hygiene outcomes and bring about tangible changes in the lives of adolescents and their families in rural communities," said Muhammad Khan, director, Economic Growth Office of USAID.
"We believe that empowering adolescents through education and awareness is the key to improving nutrition and wash behaviors in rural Bangladesh," said Allyson Bayer, senior vice president, Abt Associates, spokesperson for Feed the future Bangladesh nutrition activity.