Porridge is staving off child malnutrition in Madagascar - for nine cents a bowl
Fortified flour is being used in Madagascar to combat widespread child malnutrition, which affects four out of 10 children on the island. Known as "Koba Aina", the flour is made into a nutritious porridge that is sold door-to-door at affordable prices to vulnerable families.
A Malagasy business has been developing the porridge, prepared daily by local vendors, to avoid the irreversible cognitive and physical damage that malnutrition causes during the first 1,000 days of a child's life.
In the heart of a poor neighbourhood in Madagascar’s capital, the familiar sound of a woman’s voice rings out at 6:30am: “Koba Aina-oooooo!” In Malagasy, that translates to “flour of life”.
Six days a week, Tantely walks the streets carrying two five-kilogram thermoses of porridge. “It makes me happy to feed children. It’s a bit like they’re my own,” she says.
Dozens of children run to her, holding metal bowls and spoons, eager for their breakfast. Tantely hands out portions in exchange for 500 ariary, or about 9 euro cents.
“My job is to mix all the ingredients: peanuts, maize, rice, soy, sugar, minerals, calcium, vitamins and iron,” says Tantely. It takes about 45 minutes to cook.
“Then I leave home at 6:15am so I can sell to workers and children before they head to school.”
For many of her customers, this is the only nutritious meal they will eat all day.
Suzanne has been waiting barefoot with her grandson.
“The only time we don’t eat it is when the seller doesn’t pass by,” she says.
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