The Preschool Education Program, or PEPE, is a socio-educational program, which aims to provide a holistic service to children. Complementary projects, which include nutrition, POPE (Program of Preventive and Educational Dentistry), and health, are part of the activities that should be developed in PEPE to promote health. In this perspective, PEPE organized a virtual training with regional, national, and area coordinators to equip them to assume their responsibilities as promoters in the different countries where PEPE is being developed.
Given the need to provide a healthy way of life for children and their parents, the training began with the theme of nutrition, with emphasis on the importance of a good diet and the consequences of a bad one. In addition, when we talk about good nutrition, we are talking about a healthy life, in which we should add good sleep, practice sports, and water consumption in quantity and quality, among others.
Often there is a lack of knowledge of the diseases caused by malnutrition. By physical appearance, we can recognize whether the child is anemic or not. A malnourished child is not necessarily recognized for its body constitution (fat or lean), but for excessive sleep, lack of appetite, lack of growth, dry skin, yellowish hair, frequent crying, and healing problem. As seen, malnutrition has very serious consequences for children, even in their cognitive development, and can cause early death. To address these challenges, we need to start by raising awareness of the target audience of PEPE, partners, parents, and the community.
We saw the importance of incorporating good practices into the routine of PEPE units that promotes children’s health. At the time of the snack, the children begin by washing their hands, praying to God, then eating, and then, to finish, washing their hands again. In some PEPE units, the snack is served by the unit itself, while in others the children bring their own snack. The snack time should be supervised to ensure good hygiene, without forgetting to brush the teeth at the end. It is very important to disinfect food with bleach, as hygiene serves to reduce the risk of contamination and disease outbreaks.
This training was uplifting for all participants and gives the opportunity for a change of mindset and habit everywhere where PEPE is developed.
God bless the trainer.
MOMO Youla
National PEPE Coordinator in Guinea Konacry
Translated by Letícia Pedrosa Rodrigues
