Good nutrition is important for everyone
Especially for children
Good food helps you to grow, to get energy and to stay healthy.
To grow you need proteins.
You also need food for energy, so you can learn and play.
You stay healthy when you take in enough vitamins.
All in all, you need a lot of different nutrients.
- Vitamin A gives you resistance to diseases and blindness.
- Iron and iodine are good for school performance and against anaemia.
- Folic acid is good for the red blood cells.
On the other hand, with deficits, children are lethargic, learning deficits develop and it has been shown that brain development also lags behind. And this has a negative impact later in their functioning as adults.
Sustainability
In the context of sustainability and health, we try to limit the intake of animal proteins wherever possible.
1,000 days
The first thousand days are essential. These 1,000 days are counted from conception to the age of about two years.
In the first 1,000 days, a baby’s brain begins to develop and lays the foundation for lifelong health.
If during those 1,000 days the mother’s nutritional status is poor, it can have major consequences for the child. It means falling behind in school performance and also being susceptible to chronic diseases later as an adult.
How we work
On invitation only
The Green Food Foundation supports local organizations in their aim to improve food habits of their target group. It’s important that our input is integrated in an holistic approach. This makes the impact more efficient and sustainable.
Our approach
Two health professionals start with a local inventarisation of the daily food intake. After comparison with dietary guidelines, a gap analysis is made. A field study is used to make a foodplan fitting both requirements as well as local availability of food. An implementation plan ensures adherence.
Make it a habit
Change of behaviour isn’t that easy. Therefore monitoring of the situation is necessary. Ensuring implementation can be done by the local organization alone, supported at distance or by planned return visits by the Green Food Foundation. The Train-the-Trainer concept is a practical example of how we promote local ownership.
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Four critical steps to speed up progress
Local partnerships
The only way to achieve results is through the involvement of a local partner.
The partner has a strong relation with the local people, knows the circumstances and the culture.
Integrated approach
We believe in a holistic approach.
We believe that many factors contribute to success. We are specialized in nutrition and believe that our work leads to the best results when embedded in local organizations who also focus on water, sanitation, awareness, income, etc.
Local products
Use of local products, available and cheap.
We believe that in terms of endurance use should be made of products available at the local markets. Sometimes we come across foods that are valuable and were used in the past but have simply been forgotten.
Respect
Respect for local culture and dietary guidelines
Respect for the local food culture is essential and the focal point of the intervention. Most countries have their own dietary guidelines, important as relevant input.
