Seeding Futures: Why the First 1,000 Days Change Everything
At MACHES Uganda, we know that proper nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood lays the foundation for a lifetime of health. Our “Seeding Futures” program focuses on the critical first 1,000 days – from conception to a child’s second birthday – through:
Kitchen Gardens
Training families to grow iron-rich vegetables like nakati and dodo
Local Superfoods
Promoting traditional foods like mukene fish and amaranth grains
Cooking Demonstrations
Teaching nutrient-preserving preparation methods
In Kikuube District, 86% of participating mothers reported healthier pregnancies and fewer low-birthweight babies. “Before MACHES, we didn’t know sweet potatoes leaves were nutritious,” explains mother-of-three Kansiime. “Now my children haven’t been sick in months.”
By empowering communities with knowledge of locally available, nutrient-dense foods, we’re breaking cycles of malnutrition and building healthier generations.
