Local Partnerships Strengthen Community Engagement: Lessons from Village Health and Nutrition Day in Njombe Region
Meaningful community engagement begins with the active involvement of local stakeholders. My experience during the Village Health and Nutrition Day in Njombe Region demonstrated how collaboration among local government officials, health workers, researchers, and community members can support the delivery of health and nutrition services.
Every three months, Njombe Region holds Siku ya Afya na Lishe ya Kijiji (SALiKi), translated as Village Health and Nutrition Day (VHND). Organised under the National Multisectoral Nutrition Action Plan (NMNAP), these gatherings bring health, nutrition, and early childhood development services closer to communities. They also provide an opportunity for families to learn, exchange experiences, and participate in activities that support maternal and child well-being.
During the September 2026 round of VHND activities, I participated in several gatherings as part of our ongoing research project on food insecurity and the severity of child malnutrition in Njombe Region. These visits offered an opportunity to learn from communities and frontline service providers while sharing emerging findings from our research.
We worked closely with District Medical Officers, District Nutrition Officers, village health service providers, Community Health Workers, Village Executive Officers, and Village Chairpersons. Their involvement supported community mobilisation, coordination, and service delivery.
One particularly memorable gathering took place in Mbugani Village, Makambako Town Council, on Wednesday, 23 September 2026. The event illustrated the value of bringing different stakeholders together around a shared purpose. Local leaders supported participation, health workers provided services and practical guidance, and community members contributed to discussions and demonstrations. The VHND comprised four main activities, namely: growth monitoring and nutrition screening, Maternal and child health services, practical nutrition demonstrations, and health and nutrition education.
Growth monitoring and nutrition screening
Working alongside frontline health workers, we supported the measurement of children’s weight, length or height, and mid-upper arm circumference, as appropriate. These assessments helped identify children with potential nutrition concerns and supported discussions with caregivers about growth and timely follow-up. The activity also provided an opportunity to explain why regular growth monitoring matters, even when a child appears healthy.
Maternal and child health services
The gathering included antenatal care, immunisation, and health counselling for pregnant women, mothers, and young children. Discussions emphasised early attendance for antenatal care, family planning, timely care-seeking, and the importance of immunisation. Healthcare professionals provided immunisation services to children. Bringing these services together created opportunities for caregivers to receive advice and raise questions directly with health professionals.
Practical nutrition demonstrations
Cooking demonstrations translated nutrition messages into practical activities using locally available ingredients. Guided by Community Health Workers, villagers brought ingredients and helped prepare porridge from maize, soybeans, groundnuts, millet, pumpkin seeds, and milk. They also participated in preparing a complete meal, including rice, beans, vegetables, small fish (dagaa), and fruits.
The demonstrations encouraged discussion about dietary variety and ways to improve meals using foods available within the community. They also reinforced hygienic food preparation, including personal cleanliness, clean utensils, and appropriate clothing and hair covering during food handling. Community participation made the sessions interactive and connected the guidance to everyday household practices.
Health and nutrition education
Nutrition officers, health professionals, and researchers facilitated discussions on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), family planning, birth registration, and responsive feeding. These sessions complemented the services and demonstrations by giving caregivers opportunities to ask questions and discuss challenges.
A central message was drawn from the Lishe ya Mwanao campaign, meaning “Your Child’s Nutrition”: “Lishe ya Mwanao, Mafanikio Yake. Kujaza Tumbo Siyo Lishe, Jali Unachomlisha.” This can be translated as: “Your child’s nutrition, their success. A full stomach does not necessarily mean good nutrition—pay attention to what you feed your child.” The message encouraged caregivers to consider the nutritional quality and variety of children’s meals, as well as whether children had enough to eat.
My experience in Mbugani Village reinforced an important lesson: community engagement is stronger when local stakeholders help shape and deliver activities. Their knowledge, relationships, and participation connect services with the people they are intended to reach.
For our research team, VHND also provided a valuable setting for two-way learning. Sharing emerging findings alongside practical services enabled us to contribute to community discussions while deepening our understanding of caregivers’ experiences and local priorities. This exchange highlighted the value of sustained partnerships among researchers, service providers, local leaders, and families in addressing food insecurity and child malnutrition.
Article submitted by Dr Gabriel Kanuti Ndimbo, Lecturer in Development Studies (Sociology),
Mkwawa University College of Education, and a research fellow at Future Africa, University of Pretoria
