The pandemic’s indirect effects on small children could last a lifetime
Shuttered nurseries, sick parents and empty plates all harm the very young
MENUMATU NALLO’s group meets beneath a tree in Kambia, a town in north-west Sierra Leone. Some 40 women (and a few men) gather on plastic chairs. Brandishing picture cards, Ms Nallo reminds her neighbours which foods are good for pregnant women to eat. She implores young mothers to feed newborns only breast milk, and to reject cups of water offered by well-meaning relatives. Ms Nallo likes to open her sessions with a Christian prayer. She ends them with a Muslim one.
This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Unsteady start”
From the December 17th 2022 edition
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