Leveraging Human-Centered Design To Strengthen Support for Vulnerable Children In Nigeria’s National Homegrown School Feeding Programme

Approximately 11 million Nigerian children, or one-third of the population, experience severe child food poverty, significantly increasing their risk of malnutrition, including a 50% higher likelihood of wasting (UNICEF, 2024). This mirrors a wider global issue, with 66 million children in low- and middle-income countries, including 23 million in Africa, attending school hungry every day (Bekri et al., 2023). Addressing this urgent crisis requires social protection interventions that combat child hunger and improve nutrition outcomes, such as school feeding programmes.

GAIN Kenya Vegetables for All Project Brief

Vegetables for All is a Dutch Government-funded five-year project aimed at improving dietary diversity for 1.1 million urban and peri-urban Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) consumers by increasing vegetable consumption in alignment with global guidelines. The project is being implemented across five counties: Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Nakuru, and Mombasa, and it specifically targets families with children aged 3-12 in the lower-income group, Living Standard Measure (LSM) 3-7, who earn between USD 1.9 and 3.2 per day.

Consume diverse vegetables for improved nutrition

To boost growth, development and future wellbeing, a range of diverse fruits and vegetables should form part of all our regular meals. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, and lower the risk of eye and digestive problems. Non-starchy vegetables and fruits, like apples, pears and green leafy vegetables may even promote weight loss.