Mikail Tsoho, Dutse
CASCADE Nigeria has called on men and women in Jigawa State to support lactating mothers in accessing nutritious food, promoting six months of exclusive breastfeeding as well as appropriate complementary feeding for children.
This appeal was made to commemorate World Breastfeeding Week 2025, tagged “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create a Sustainable Support System.”
The initiative aims at promoting better health outcomes for children and empower mothers to make informed choices about their babies’ nutrition.
This call was made by Gara Alheri Shiyya, Health and Nutrition Technical Officer, during awareness and interactive sessions with community members in Jahun and Kafin Hausa Local Governments of the state.
Cara said the project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and implemented by CARE Nigeria in collaboration with GAIN and FAcE-PaM.
She also emphasized the importance of colostrum and exclusive breastfeeding in achieving better health outcomes for children.
She therefore called for concerted efforts to address challenges hindering the practice of exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding.
However, some women, including Maryam Nazifi, identified poverty and traditional norms as major obstacles to exclusive breastfeeding in their communities.
Community leaders have also pledged to support the initiative.
The Bulama of Kafin-Hausa, Alhaji Yunusa Sulaiman, commended the CASCADE project and promised to mobilize community members to raise awareness about the benefits of exclusive and complementary feeding for children.
Similarly, the Village Head of Tamburawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Babangida, noted that ignorance and poverty are key barriers to effective breastfeeding practices in the area.
The awareness sessions are part of efforts to promote breastfeeding and improve child nutrition in Jigawa State.
Experts emphasize that breastfeeding is crucial for child survival, brain development, and long-term health.
They therefore advocate for family-friendly workplace policies, community awareness campaigns, and strengthened healthcare system support to empower mothers.
