Objective 5: Improve maternal health
Néné Sylvia Dogo 41 years old
Mother of an eight-year-old daughter
Nutritionist
Lives in Montreal, Quebec
Nene Sylvia Dogo travelled to Mali in 2006 to help mothers appreciate the nutritional value of local food for children under five. It was a response to the severe nutritional deficits suffered by many women and children in the West African nation. Dogo confirmed through her fieldwork that simple ingredient changes can considerably improve maternal and infant health. “The evaluations (realized during the project) made it possible to see the impact of improved nutrition. These findings
enriched the understanding of doctors and case workers,” Dogo says. “Thanks to these evaluations, greater attention can be drawn, in health centers, to the importance of nutrition.”Dogo also lent her support, through cooperation with the National Federation of Community Health Centres of Mali (FENASCOM), to the development of collective kitchens. She provided the impetus for the program by directing teacher training and again promoting the use of local food.
“Canada has one of the best reputations in developing countries and it is important to maintain and reinforce that,” Dogo says. “Volunteer engagement is the best way to do this. My experience as a volunteer enabled me to develop compassion and provided me with great hope for the developing world. Wherever you are, there is always something to learn,” she says. Dogo is currently in Montreal searching for work in her areas of expertise.
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