Breastfeeding plays a crucial role in the health, growth and development of babies and has benefits for the mother too. Women may need some help to successfully feed their babies. Therefore, SCO conducted an outreach campaign for safe breast feeding where mothers were educated the best an effective way of breast feeding.
In the course of two week campaign our outreach team managed to reach 1623 lactating mothers in across five centers
| centers | No. lactating mothers reached |
| Iskashi walalaha | 365 |
| kalsoon | 402 |
| mareeg | 258 |
| Takulo centra | 283 |
| Duco walid | 315 |
| TOTAL | 1623 |
The SCO female staffs highlighted the importance of breastfeeding and shared with the mothers the following importance of breastfeeding;
- It supplies all the necessary nutrients in the proper proportions.
- It protects against allergies, sickness, and obesity.
- It protects against diseases, like diabetes and cancer.
- It protects against infections, like ear infections.
- It is easily digested – no constipation, diarrhea or upset stomach.
- Babies have healthier weights as they grow.
Sowdo Abdullahi strongly emphasized breastmilk is perfect food the young babies and as well as told the mothers the milk changes in volume and composition according to the time of day, nursing frequency, and age of baby to promote healthy growth.
Fadumo Ali Abdi who a resident carfon2 IDP site shared her feelings after attending the awareness sessions we conducted she told us before she believed myths and misconceptions about breastfeeding and now had learnt the importance of breastfeeding for her babies and from today she will breast feed her 6 month child.
Halima cusman from masuul IDP site said “thanks SCO for enlighten and telling us the importance breastfeeding for our babies I never breastfeed a child beyond four months after learning how breastmilk is beneficial to my child I promise I will breastfeed my child until 2 years.
This outreach campaign for educating mothers the importance of breastmilk in the IDPs sites in Mogadishu especially Deynile districts continued for two weeks and our efforts impacted the lactating mothers and we have received positive feedback from women groups at IDPs sites, the next exercise will be conducted jointly by SCO female staffs and and women groups at IDP sites.
