Community-driven strategies for preventing childhood stunting: perspectives from parents and front-line workers in...

Childhood stunting remains a major public health challenge in Rwanda, affecting child growth, development, and long-term health outcomes. This study explored the views of parents and front-line workers to inform community-driven strategies to prevent stunting.

Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Key Informant Interviews (KII) were conducted among 83 parents and front-line workers in five districts of Rwanda, including Nyaruguru, Rutsiro, Burera, Kayonza, and Gasabo, all purposively selected based on their high prevalence of stunting in their respective provinces and Kigali City. The conventional content analysis approach was used to identify the main themes.

Three core themes were identified from the data and were related to: (1) perceived roles of community-led nutrition and hygiene interventions, (2) challenges in the implementation of community-based programmes, and (3) suggested approaches to enhance community participation and adherence. The highlighted strategies included strengthening caregiver capacity, promoting nutrition education, improving access to health and family planning services, and supporting economically feasible interventions such as facilitating access to fruits through fruit trees and small livestock growing.

Enhancing community coordination, promoting nutrition education, ensuring access to health and family planning services, and strengthening caregiver capacity were suggested as essential community-driven strategies to reduce stunting.