The Challenge

“Sar pee bi lar?” or “have you eaten already?” is the informal way of greeting friends and family in Myanmar. Whether you’re hungry or not, the reply is nearly always “Sar pee bi” or “I have eaten already”.

Food is a big part of Myanmar culture; the irony lies in that adequate and good nutrition is a serious concern in Myanmar. Myanmar is listed as one of the world’s 36 high-burden countries for chronic malnutrition and stunting. The rate of stunting amongst children under five years old is as high as 35% -  that means one in three children is malnourished. This is a cause of grave concern: malnutrition in the first 1000 days of life is particularly dangerous as it limits a child’s future growth and development. According to the National Nutrition Centre, 53% of under-five-year- old deaths are linked to under-nutrition.

The Government of Myanmar promotes August as National Nutrition Month, when the importance of good nutrition is highlighted in activities across the country. LIFT is focused on improving nutrition – it is one of our four target outcomes - and supports specific activities this month.

LIFT efforts

The devastating floods that affected much of the country have threatened the food security of millions of people. LIFT has now allocated USD 1 million to re-establish livelihoods and food security, and our partners are working to ensure that crops can quickly be replanted. 

Aside from livelihoods recovery efforts after the floods, a number of LIFT partners are busy working on activities for National Nutrition Month:

With assistance from our nutrition partner LEARN, which is a consortium of Save the Children, Helen Keller International and Action Contre La Faim, Padamayar FM radio is running talk shows discussing exclusive breast feeding, maternal nutrition and complementary feeding, plus a mini drama around good nutrition. The mini-drama airs from 7-8 AM on Fridays and 2-3 PM on Saturdays. LEARN’s Deputy Programme Manager U Saw Eden will explain the benefits of good nutrition in a talk show on 9th September from 3-4 PM. Tune in!

Save the Children has engaged Rakhine celebrity, Yee Hlaing Pyar, to record three catchy songs singing the merits of using maternal cash transfers – funded by LIFT as part of the Tat Lan Programme - to buy healthy food.  The album will be launched to Rakhine media later this month.

Save the Children has also worked with Kamaryut Media to share four videos on maternal cash transfers, poverty, malnutrition and the government maternal cash transfers programme.

Thanks to our friends in the media, the LIFT/National Nutrition Centre 1000 Days public health message is being aired on MITV, MRTV, Padamayer FM and City FM.  MRTV has translated the video message into eleven ethnic languages. In an exciting development, with approval from the government's Information and Public Relations Department (MoI),  the video will soon be broadcast in cinemas in Yangon and Mandalay.

Meanwhile, LEARN is promoting its book,  “Learning about Nutrition - a facilitator's  guide for food security and livelihoods field agents", to LIFT partner project staff, along with flip chart stories and posters. These are based on four main themes:

  • Exclusive breastfeeding
  • Complementary feeding for children six months to two years old
  • Dietary diversity for pregnant & lactating women
  • Consumption of iron-rich foods

You can access the materials, including the album of songs, through LEARN.

Government initatives

  • The National Nutrition Centre (NNC) is distributing the 1000 Days pamphlet and a nutrition fact sheet to communities through Department of Health centres in different townships.
  • The Ministry of Health hosted a Nutrition Promotion Month event in Nay Pyi Taw and provided vitamin A, iron and deworming pills for midwives to distribute in Nay Pyi Taw Townships.
  • The State Department of Health has held Nutrition Promotion launch events in all States and Region offices.
  • The Midwives and Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association held a ‘Model Mother’s Cooking Competition’ in all district towns.
  • NNC has distributed nutrition-promotion bags, pamphlets and cooking demonstration guides to midwives.

Please visit this page to learn more about LIFT’s on-going work to improve nutrition.

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