Nutrition Champion at Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FAcE-PaM)

Purpose of the Role

• To promote optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices, facilitate nutrition counseling, and support community-level awareness and referrals in alignment with the Cascade project goals.
• Nutrition champions focus on educating, supporting, and linking community members to nutrition services.
• Their work is vital in preventing malnutrition, encouraging behavior change, and promoting healthy diets.

Key Tasks of Nutrition Champions
Community Led Advocacy Sensitization/Stakeholders engagement.
Raise awareness about the importance of:

• Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months
• Appropriate complementary feeding after 6 months, Promoting consumption of Cascade Food value chain (Orange Fleshed
• Sweet potatoes-OFSP, Gboma Sika, Soya Beans among other foods) during pregnancy and lactation
• Engaging traditional and religious leaders to champion behavioral change in dietary practices
• Support Community Led Advocacy for Nutrition services at community level
• Support community awareness on hygiene practice’s using Key household Hygiene Practices
• Work with Community Quality Improvement team facilitators to support hygiene improvement at household’s level.

Nutrition Education teach families about:

• How to prepare nutritious meals using local foods such as Orange, fleshed sweet potatoes-OFSP, Gboma Sika, Soya Beans among other foods)
• Hygiene and safe food handling
• The signs of malnutrition and when to seek help
• Support women access Antenal Care Services at facilities/community
• Nutrition Education session on practices through facilitating Radio listening groups for SBCC
• Facilitating town hall sensitizations
• Supporting local women’s groups (VSLA, SILC) to drive household-level nutrition improvements
• Improve child diets quality through promoting local practices.

Home Visits:

• Visit pregnant women and caregivers of young children at home to:
• Reinforce key nutrition messages using IEC Materials
• Encourage attendance at antenatal care or growth monitoring sessions
• Provide counseling on breastfeeding, child feeding, and maternal nutrition
• Assess hygiene practices and support households on improvement
• practices
• Complete Home visitation tools and report to the Case Mangers
• Facilitate follow up groups and escalate.

Growth Monitoring Support:

• Assist health workers during monthly weighing and screening sessions.
• Help record children’s weight and Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) periodic after every 6 months.
• Explain results to caregivers and encourage them to take action if a child is at risk.
• Track and report facility-based Growth monitoring data and other data as assigned
• Organize Support Groups

Facilitate Mother-to-Mother Support Groups where women can:

• Share experiences
• Learn from each other
• Support one another in practicing good nutrition
• Grown Cascade Food value chain for consumption
• Support women knowledge improvement through facilitating / delivering IYCF messaging leveraging VSLA Meetings.

Referral and Linkage:
Identify and refer malnourished children or pregnant/lactating women with nutritional risk to:

• Health facilities
• Supplementary feeding programs
• Case Managers or other services
• Work closely with SAA Champions to compliment behavior shift for women.

Promote Home Gardens:

• Encourage households to grow their own nutritious foods (like vegetables or
• fruits) to improve diet diversity.
• Promote uptake and utilizations of food recipes.

Record Keeping and Reporting:
Keep simple records of:

• Households visited
• Referrals made
• Community meetings conducted
• Data reporting
• Report activities to the Case Manager or Health and Nutrition Technical Officer.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of SSCE/WAEC. Certificate in Community Health, Nutrition, or Social Mobilization is an added advantage.
• Previous experience as a community volunteer or health worker is highly desirable.
• Good communication and facilitation skills in the local language.
• Strong knowledge of cultural practices related to maternal and child nutrition.
• Passionate about community development and improving child health.
• Must have previous experience in managing community health/nutrition platforms
• Must be community based and known among stakeholders and community members
• Preferable a community based health practitioner, dietitians, health worker, CHIPS etc.