Kundwa Kibondo: A Community Effort to Combat Child Stunting and Malnutrition in Huye District

The Sovu Health Center, located in in Sovu Cell, Huye District.
In a proactive effort to address child stunting and malnutrition in Sovu Cell, Huye District, the Sovu Health Center initiated an innovative program known as “Kundwa Kibondo.” This program leverages community resources and collaboration to enhance the health and well-being of children and mothers.
The program employs diverse strategies to combat malnutrition, including regular growth monitoring, nutrition education with cooking demonstrations, hygiene and sanitation campaigns, economic empowerment, and the development of home-based Early Childhood Development (ECD) practices.
One key feature is the “Igi ry’Umwana” initiative, which provides an egg per child. This initiative is funded through monthly contributions: Rwf200 from health center staff, Rwf100 from community health workers and Rwf300 from sector workers, creating a collective fund to support nutritional interventions.

A notable component of Kundwa Kibondo is “Igikoni Cy’Akagari,” a community kitchen held every Monday at the cell level where children under five years receive nutritious meals. This promotes healthy eating habits and serves as a practical demonstration of good nutrition. Community health workers also receive training to combat malnutrition and are instrumental in encouraging households to cultivate fruits and vegetables through kitchen gardens, known locally as “Akarima k’Igikoni.”
Another unique aspect of the program is the parenting initiative, “Kubyara Muri Batisimu,” where a health center worker, cell worker, community health worker, or volunteer adopts a malnourished child to provide ongoing support and follow-up. This holistic approach addresses the child’s overall health, both physical and mental.

Sister Solange UWANYIRIGIRA, Director of Sovu Health Center, emphasized the impact of the parenting strategy, stating, “This approach allows us to monitor a child’s recovery closely and effectively.”
She shared that once mothers grasped the significance of adopting proper nutrition practices and ensuring that Kundwa Kibondo remained community-owned, all local government officials and health workers in the Huye district pledged to contribute funds to provide an egg for each child.
“We save leftover coins from daily transactions—Rwf100, Rwf200, or Rwf300—and pool these funds to provide an egg for each child,” Uwanyirigira explained.
Sr. Uwanyirigira added, “Every two weeks, we visit these children to ensure they are recovering. It’s like being a godparent to these children.” Volunteers also assist families in planting vegetable gardens and addressing issues such as gender-based violence, which indirectly contribute to child stunting.
The Kundwa Kibondo model has been expanded to all 12 sectors in Huye District, engaging volunteers from the village, cell, sector, and health center levels to assist health workers in monitoring the progress of children enrolled in the program.
Since its inception in 2017, Kundwa Kibondo has focused on addressing underlying health issues to promote recovery from stunting.

Laurent TWAGIRAYEZU, a community health worker at Sovu Health Center, highlighted their role, saying, “We monitor children’s mental health and contribute Rwf100 monthly to support the program.”
His commitment reflects the broader community’s dedication to the initiative.

Immaculée MUKESHIMANA, a resident of Sovu Cell, shared how community health workers have helped her participate in kitchen gardens and taught her to prepare nutritious meals, emphasizing the tangible help given to families.
She said, “They support us through kitchen gardens, healthy diet preparation, and access to supplements like Shisha Kibondo.”

Ange SEBUTEGE, Mayor of Huye District, noted the program’s broader impact, emphasizing the district’s partnership with the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) to provide supplements like Shisha Kibondo, nutritious porridge flour.
“In the past two years, we’ve reduced the stunting rate from 30-33% to 16.1%. Our goal is to bring this below 16%,” he said, aligning with Rwanda’s national target of reducing stunting rates.
The parenting strategy is also personally embraced by Mayor Sebutege, who stated, “I am also involved, with two twin children under my care in Kaburemera Cell. This innovation enables us to address issues swiftly and effectively.”
Rwanda’s government has implemented cross-cutting measures to reduce stunting trends from 38% in 2022 to 33% today, with a goal of 15% in the next five years as outlined in the 2nd National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
The Kundwa Kibondo program exemplifies the power of community-driven initiatives. By uniting resources, expertise, and collective determination, the program is making remarkable progress in combating malnutrition and stunting, offering hope and a brighter future for children in Huye District.




