Nutrition Friendly Schools Initiative Project

In the recent years, Juzoor, along with its partner UNICEF, have been working hard in the area of nutrition and healthy life style. Nutrition-related health problems in our children are increasing and are causing significant catastrophic outcomes. With only about 6% of families accessing enough food according to the H2 household survey, addressing nutritional needs has been identified as a priority.

As under-nutrition continues to be a major problem in Palestine, the problem of overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions. In Palestine, the epidemic of obesity sits alongside continuing problems of under-nutrition, creating a double-burden of nutrition-related ill health among the population, including children.

This project responds to the humanitarian situation in Hebron and the Gaza Strip through multi-sectoral interventions in the areas of health and nutrition, education, WASH and child protection to provide critical services to families to address the growing needs as a result of deteriorating socio-economic conditions. Based on the principle that effectively addressing the increasing health problem of the double-burden of nutrition-related ill-health requires common policy options, the NFSI was developed as a result.

The main aim of the NFSI is to establish healthy dietary habits including physical activity, preventing malnutrition as anemia, overweight, and other NCDs, improving nutrition among adolescent girls and boys, and to provide a framework for school based programs. In 2020, we also focused on maintain school children safety in response to COVID-19 and lock-downs This is done so that in turn all targeted children have better nutritional status and opportunities for their growth, academic achievements and better potential earning later on in life.

In 2020:

• The NFS strategy established, designed and adopted by the Ministry of Education
• The Maternal and Child Nutrition Protocol was updated and endorsed, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s school health department
• Procured and delivered sanitation equipment to 30 schools in response to COVID-19
• Established and strengthened the school health committees
• Supported the government’s efforts in modeling and implementing a school based multi-sectoral approach
• Extended cooperation of the health and education sectors
• Addressing all aspects of malnutrition among school children
• Provided an enabling environment for promoting health and nutritional well being of children and as a result to contribute to their improved learning and academic achievements
• Have connected with parents, local community and health services in order to promote health and nutritional well being of children
• Accredited Nutrition Friendly Schools
• Initiated Early Childhood Development services through our free helpline, video spots and animation videos.
• A Facebook group was created to connect all schools for them to be able to exchange their experiences and activities the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nutritionfriendlyschools/?ref=bookmarks
• WhatsApp groups were created for anemic school children and parents. Juzoor’s team provides them with the needed tips for healthier meals that would increase the hemoglobin of the children.
• The National Committee to Combat Obesity and Overweight among Schoolchildren adopted the NFS initiative into its strategy
• The Minister of Education will implement the NFSI into the MOE governmental schools’ strategy.