Speaking Technically: Improving Nutrition for Displaced Families in Nigeria

We recently spoke with Donna J. Jultuda, State Coordinator for Helen Keller Intl in Adamawa, Nigeria. Donna has led our work to improve health and nutrition for women and children among internally displaced people in Adamawa since 2020. She also provides leadership in the state for Helen Keller’s work with maternal health, neglected tropical diseases, and vitamin A supplementation. 

Which families do we serve in Adamawa State, and what challenges are they facing?

Most of the families we work with have been displaced by violent insurgency, mainly from Borno State and elsewhere in Adamawa. Displaced families face extreme hardship, including limited access to the basic necessities of shelter, healthcare, and clean water. Food insecurity is also a major challenge.  It is difficult to access farmland for growing crops, and Nigeria’s economic situation, with rising prices and currency devaluation, has made nutritious foods more expensive. Reaching these families with nutrition support will save lives and contribute to long-term resilience.

Why is nutrition support so key?

Good nutrition is essential for overall health and development. A well-nourished woman is more likely to have a healthy pregnancy and give birth to a healthy child. Malnutrition affects children’s growth and cognitive development for years and makes it more likely that they will catch diseases or have poor eyesight. In fact, without proper nutrition, there can be a cycle of malnutrition affecting generations.  Ensuring that these families have access to good nutrition now helps break this cycle.

How is extreme weather affecting the ability to grow and eat nutritious foods?

Across Nigeria, erratic rainfall, droughts, and floods are disrupting normal crop cycles. In Adamawa State, the rainy season is now more intense but doesn’t last as long as it used to, so everything is dry. This reduces crop yields, which leads to food scarcity and higher prices. As a result, families opt for less expensive foods that may be filling but are not nutritious. So, the increased frequency of extreme weather has made it more difficult overall for families to maintain a healthy diet. 

How is Helen Keller partnering with individuals and communities to build resilience? 

In collaboration with the government, Helen Keller is helping families gain a number of valuable skills, including growing and preparing healthier foods, starting small businesses, and collectively managing savings.   

We help families start homestead gardens where they can grow nutritious crops like leafy greens and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. They receive training on how to garden on small plots of land using climate-smart techniques – including container gardening and water management – that mitigate the effects of erratic weather. They also learn how to cook more nutritious meals at home using locally available ingredients. 

In addition, we provide training and resources that help women earn an income by selling surplus crops or prepared foods and by starting small shops. We’ve also helped them establish village savings and loan associations so they can save money and take out small loans to support their businesses.

What are the long-term benefits of this support for children and families?

After four years of conducting nutrition education in these communities, we’ve seen a significant improvement in awareness about good nutrition – and mothers are actively putting into practice what they have learned. By using sustainable farming practices to grow more nutritious crops, women are providing healthier foods for their families on a year-round basis. Improving their own health and wellbeing means that they are having healthier pregnancies. And empowering themselves economically has numerous positive impacts on the security of their families.      

What is your favorite part of your job?

One of the best parts of my job is whenever I go to one of our nutritional support group meetings for women. I get to interact with the mothers in the community, hear about some of their challenges, and provide support. I love going back to the same group later and seeing that their children have become healthy and are thriving. I feel so proud of the work that Helen Keller is doing in these communities.