Muhammed Jamil Abubakar
In Kalargo community, Kaltungo Local Government Area of Gombe State, mothers like Amina Isa once lived with the constant fear of watching their children grow thin, weak, and dangerously malnourished a harsh reality for many families in Northern Nigeria, where malnutrition remains a silent but persistent threat to child survival.
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But today, Amina’s story is changing.
“My baby eats better and is growing well. I no longer worry like before,” Amina said with relief, her face bright with renewed hope.
She is one of the hundreds of mothers whose lives have been transformed through the PARSNIP nutrition programme, which provides essential food supplements and equips caregivers with the knowledge and skills to improve feeding practices for infants and young children.
For years, families across the region have battled malnutrition driven by poverty, limited dietary diversity, and restricted access to nutritious foods.
Children between six months and two years old those in their most critical growth phase are especially vulnerable. Without proper nutrition, many face lifelong health challenges or fail to survive preventable conditions.
PARSNIP, Progressing Action on Resilient Systems for Nutrition Through Innovation and Partnership is changing this narrative.
Supported by UNICEF and funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in partnership with the Gombe State Government, the programme is currently active in Kwami, Kaltungo, and Dukku LGAs.
The initiative focuses on children aged 6–23 months, providing Small Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQLNS) and teaching caregivers how to adopt proper infant and young child feeding practices.
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So far, more than 106,248 children have received nutrient supplements, while 20,347 caregivers have been trained to detect early signs of malnutrition through MUAC screening and to apply healthier feeding habits at home.
Another mother in Kalargo, Aisha Muhammad Aliyu, shared how the programme has reshaped life in her household.
“We were given orange-fleshed sweet potato vines. I plant them at home and add them to my child’s food. It makes a big difference— it even helps us earn a little money,”she said.
Gombe State Nutrition Officer, Muhammad Bawa, explained that the programme also promotes the cultivation of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potatoes (OFSP), a crop rich in Vitamin A, crucial for child growth and immunity.
Women are trained to plant, process, and incorporate the sweet potatoes into meals. Beyond nutrition, the initiative is boosting household incomes as mothers sell the vines, leaves, and tubers to other families.
Bawa noted that Gombe is one of the programme’s pilot locations and emphasized the need for wider coverage.
“The children are responding well. We hope this programme can be expanded to more LGAs so no child is left behind,” he said.
From mothers witnessing their children thrive for the first time, to nutrition workers monitoring steady progress across communities, one message echoes throughout Gombe State:
Expand it. Sustain it. Reach more families before malnutrition claims another child.
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With continued funding and government support, stakeholders believe the PARSNIP project can further reduce malnutrition, strengthen community resilience, and improve long-term child survival.
For Amina and countless mothers like her, the story is no longer one of fear and uncertainty. It is a story filled with hope of fuller plates, healthier children, and a future where no child is left to face malnutrition alone.