On 8–9 April 2025, the Timor-Leste Red Cross (CVTL) conducted a two-day training on nutrition and a healthy food demonstration in Ernaru Sub-Village, Manelobas Village, Ainaro Municipality. The activity aimed to raise awareness about the importance of good nutrition and to help prevent malnutrition and anaemia in the community, particularly among vulnerable groups like pregnant women and children.
Carla da Conceição, CVTL ICBRR Officer in the Ainaro Branch, explained that the training is part of CVTL’s ongoing efforts to improve community health and well-being. “Our objective is to provide practical knowledge about nutrition and empower families to make healthy food choices to prevent common nutrition-related health issues,” she said.
Participants were introduced to the basic concepts of nutrition, including the three food groups: energy-giving foods, body-building foods, and protective foods. The training included group discussions, an explanation of the symptoms and prevention of malnutrition, and a focused session on anaemia awareness for pregnant women. A practical demonstration of healthy local meals reinforced the learning.
The training gathered 29 participants from the local community, including 15 women and 14 men. Facilitated by Carla da Conceição and Josefina Gusmão from CVTL Ainaro Branch and National Headquarters, the activity was made possible with support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) through the ICBRR-MOFA Program.
