As part of its usual season's greetings to its clients at Christmas, CRIF Group chose to support the international cooperation project run by GVC (Civil Volunteer Group), a nonprofit NGO. GVC plays an active role in international cooperation using complex strategies: from humanitarian assistance to populations affected by conflicts and natural disasters to reconstruction, from health to food safety, from rural development to education, from the protection of women to childcare.
The project, supported by CRIF and by the BolognAltruista association, was aimed at promoting the fight against malnutrition and food education in Burundi in the municipalities of Isare and Mutimbuzi, in the province of Bujumbura. Some of the activities put in place adopted a specific approach through the creation of nutritional rehabilitation and learning centers (FARN), essential for helping children affected by malnutrition during their path to rehabilitation.
The role of the Mamans–Lumières is fundamental (mothers who take on a central role by feeding their children well and passing on skills to other mothers).
Specifically, the first project provided training to 100 Mamans-Lumières in the treatment and prevention of child malnutrition at rehabilitation and learning centers (FARN). Mamans-Lumières organize FARN cycles, where 12 children and their mothers are brought in to follow a rehabilitation and training program. At the end of the educational cycles, the Mamans–Lumières had created and maintained 100 kitchen gardens with the dual function of educating the community through cooking demonstrations and contributing to the food safety of families.
In total 100 Mamans–Lumières and their families (560 people) were involved, as well as 1200 women and children in the hills where the Mamans–Lumières perform cooking demonstrations and look after kitchen gardens.
For more information on GVC's activities: www.gvc-italia.org
For more information on BolognAltruista's activities: www.bolognaltruista.org
