How is ‘Mama’s Gift’ Supporting Nutritional Needs for Infants in Manipur Relief Camps?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Mama's Gift is a nutritional supplement for infants in relief camps.
- Developed by NHM Manipur, it addresses the needs of displaced children.
- The program has already reached over 1,000 children.
- The initiative uses locally sourced ingredients for easy preparation.
- Over 300 relief camps are providing shelter to displaced families.
Imphal, Nov 1 (NationPress) The Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, on Saturday announced financial support to the Manipur State Rural Livelihoods Mission (MSRLM) aimed at enhancing the development and distribution of “Mama’s Gift”, as reported by officials.
A representative from Raj Bhavan stated that “Mama’s Gift” is a locally crafted nutritional supplement tailored to address the needs of children aged nine months and older who have been displaced due to ethnic violence.
This initiative, developed with the expertise of doctors and nutritionists from the National Health Mission (NHM) in Manipur, is produced by the Lamyanbi Village Level Federation (VLF) in Khurai, under the auspices of the MSRLM.
To date, this program has benefited over 1,000 children residing in relief camps across nine districts, including Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Jiribam, Kakching, Tengnoupal, and Kangpokpi.
The Governor praised the collaborative effort behind the program, referring to “Mama’s Gift” as a testament to community support and resilience.
He remarked that the contribution from Raj Bhavan in Imphal represents a small yet significant gesture to promote the well-being of children and to inspire ongoing compassion.
According to another official, the MSRLM initiated “Mama’s Gift” in June 2023 to address the nutritional needs of infants, especially those currently living in the relief camps set up for families displaced by violence in Manipur. Mama’s Nutrimix is a ready-to-eat food with a high caloric value designed for infants.
This product is to be mixed directly with lukewarm water for feeding. The ingredients of “Mama's Gift” include easily accessible raw materials such as atta, roasted soybean, roasted chana, milk powder, and sugar.
The state government has established over 300 relief camps throughout the Imphal valley and surrounding hilly areas to provide shelter for more than 59,000 individuals, including men, women, and children, who were displaced following the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.