Oonobangela Bale Ngxaki, Nemiphumo Yayo Ebuhlungu

“Ndandilambile yaye naseka ikomiti eyayiza kuphanda ngesizathu sokulamba kwam. Ndandingenakhaya yaye nenza ingxelo ngentlungu endandikuyo. Ndandigula yaye nenza ingqungquthela ngemeko yamahlwempu. Naphanda ngako konke ukubandezeleka kwam, ukanti ndisalambile, andikabi nakhaya yaye ndisagula.”—Akaziwa umbhali wala mazwi.

NANGONA imibutho yehlabathi iye yazama ukuphelisa ukungondleki, loo migudu iye yawa phantsi. Ngokomzekelo, ababekho kwiWorld Food Summit yowe-1996, eyayiququzelelwa yiFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) bazibekela usukelo lokuba ngonyaka wama-2015, inani labantu abangondlekanga ehlabathini lehle ngesiqingatha—abantu abamalunga nama-400 ezigidi.a

Okuncomekayo kukuba ikho inkqubela eye yenziwa. Kodwa ngelishwa, ingxelo yakutshanje yeFAO, iThe State of Food Insecurity in the World 2001, ithi: “Kucacile ukuba, kukho ukuqhwalela okuthile kwinkqubo yokulwa nokungondleki ehlabathini.” Ngoko usukelo lwabantu ababekuloo ngqungquthela lubonakala lungafikeleleki. Enyanisweni, le ngxelo iyavuma ukuba “liye landa ngendlela ephawulekayo inani labantu abangondlekanga kuninzi lwamazwe asakhasayo.”

Kutheni kunzima kangaka nje ukulwa nale ngxaki? Ukuze sifumane impendulo, kufuneka siqale sazi ukuba kuyintoni na ukungondleki size siqwalasele imiphumo yako noonobangela bale ngxaki.

Kubangelwa Yintoni Ukungondleki?

Ukungondleki kubangelwa kukungafumani kweeseli zomzimba izondlo, yaye oku kudla ngokubangelwa zezi zinto zimbini: (1) ukungafumani iiprotini, iikilojoules, iivithamin, neemineral ezaneleyo (2) ukwasulelwa zizifo rhoqo.

Izigulo ezifana nokuhanjiswa sisisu, imasisi, imalariya, nombefu ziyawuqoba umzimba yaye zibangela ukuba umntu aphelelwe zizondlo emzimbeni. Zibangela umntu angakufuni ukutya, aze ke angondleki. Kwelinye icala, umntwana ongondlekanga wasulelwa lula zizifo. Ngaloo ndlela uba semngciphekweni wokufa ngenxa yokungafumani iiprotini ezaneleyo.

Kutheni abantwana ingabona bachanabeka kakhulu nje kule ngxaki yokungondleki? Kaloku bona basakhula ngoko bafuna iikilojoules neeprotini ezininzi. Ngokufanayo, amabhinqa akhulelweyo nancancisayo asemngciphekweni wokungondleki.

Ngokuqhelekileyo, kwabanye abantwana le ngxaki iqala kwanangaphambi kokuba bazalwe. Ukuba unina akondlekanga ngaphambi kokuba akhulelwe nangoxa ekhulelwe, usana lwakhe luza kuba cekeceke. Ukanti ukulunyulwa ngokukhawuleza, ukungondliwa kakuhle nokungacocwa ngendlela efanelekileyo kunokubangela umntwana angondleki.

Ukungafumani komntwana ukutya okunezondlo kubangela ukuba angakhuli kakuhle. Usoloko ekhala yaye uchanabeka lula kwizifo. Njengoko imeko yakhe isiba maxongo, uya ebhitya, kutshone amehlo nofokotho (le ndawo ithambileyo kumphezulu wentloko), ulusu nezihlunu zibe yekeyeke uze umzimba wakhe ungakwazi ukumelana nobushushu okanye ingqele.

Zikho nezinye izinto ezibangela ukuba umntwana angondleki. Nazo zinokumbangela angakhuli kakuhle. Ngokomzekelo, ukungatyi ukutya okuneemineral ezaneleyo—ngokukodwa i-iron, i-iodine, nezinc—neevithamini ezaneleyo—ingakumbi uvithamini A—kunokuba negalelo kule ngxaki. IUnited Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ithi bamalunga ne-100 lezigidi abantwana abangamfumaniyo uvithamini A, yaye oko kunokubenza bangaboni. Kwakhona kwenza inkqubo yomzimba yokuzikhusela ibe buthathaka, aze umntwana angakwazi ukuxhathisa izifo ezasulelayo.

Imiphumo Ebuhlungu

Ukungondleki kumenza abe cekeceke umntu, ingakumbi umntwana. Oku kunokuchaphazela onke amalungu nenkqubo yomzimba—kuquka intliziyo, izintso, isisu, amathumbu, imiphunga nengqondo.

Uphando oluvela kwimithombo eyahlukahlukeneyo lubonisa ukuba ukungakhuli kakuhle komntwana kunokumenza adodobale ingqondo aze angaqhubi kakuhle esikolweni nakwezinye izinto. Ingxelo yeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ithi le yeyona miphumo ibuhlungu yokungondleki nehlala ixesha elide.

Oku kunokubachaphazela abantwana abangondlekanga naxa sele bebadala. Ngenxa yoko iUNICEF yathi: “Ukudodobala kwengqondo yabantu ngale ndlela—ngenxa nje yento enokuthintelwa—yinkcitho engathethekiyo nolwaphulo-mthetho olunganyamezelekiyo.” Ngoko ke, kuxhalabisa gqitha ukubona imiphumo ebuhlungu yokungondleki. Uphando lwakutshanje lubonisa ukuba abantwana abangondlekanga basesichengeni sokuhlaselwa zizifo ezinganyangekiyo xa sele bebadala, njengesifo sentliziyo, isifo seswekile nehigh blood pressure.

Noko ke, eyona ngxaki inkulu asikokungondleki, iUNICEF ithi: “Abantu ababulawa zizinto ezinokuthanani nokungondleki abangaphezu kwama-75 ekhulwini, ababulawa kukungondleki ngokugqithiseleyo kodwa babulawa kukungondleki nje okungephi.” (Akekeliswe sithi.) Abantwana abangondlekanga banokuhlaselwa zizifo ezinganyangekiyo. Ngoko ke, kubalulekile ukuba babonwe ngokukhawuleza abantwana abangondlekanga baze bafumane unyango olufanelekileyo.—Bona ibhokisi ekwiphepha 7.

Oonobangela Bale Ngxaki

Njengoko sele kubonisiwe, unobangela wokungondleki kukunqongophala kokutya. Kodwa izithethe zasekuhlaleni, imeko yezoqoqosho nemeko-bume yendawo zinokuba negalelo kule ngxaki. Eyona nto ibangela konke oku, bubuhlwempu obuthwaxa izigidi zabantu, ingakumbi abo bahlala kumazwe asakhasayo. Noko ke, ubuhlwempu bukwabangela ukuba abantu bangabi namveliso yaye loo nto ibenza bande ngakumbi ubuhlwempu.

Bakho nabanye oothunywashe ababangela le ngxaki. Ngenxa yokungabi nalwazi, abanye abantu batya izinto ezingekho mpilweni. Njengoko sele sibonile, izifo ezasulelayo, zinegalelo kule ngxaki. Enye into enegalelo zizithethe neemeko zasekuhlaleni, njengokungabiwa kokutya ngokulinganayo nokucalucalulwa kwamabhinqa. Amabhinqa adla ngokuba “ngawokugqibela ukufumana ukutya yaye afumana ukutya okuncinane”—atya emva kokuba amadoda egqibile yaye atya kancinane kunamadoda. Kwakhona amabhinqa akavunyelwa afunde ukanti xa efundile ebeya kubanyamekela bhetele abantwana bawo.

Ukongezelela, imeko-bume ibangela ukuba yehle imveliso yokutya. Phakathi kwezinto ezibangela oko ziintlekele zemvelo neemfazwe. Ngokutsho kweThe State of Food Insecurity in the World 2001, ukususela ngo-Oktobha 1999 ukusa kuJuni 2001, bekukho imbalela kumazwe angama-22, inkanyamba okanye izantyalantyala zemvula kwali-17, imfazwe yamakhaya okanye udushe kwali-14, ubusika obuqhaqhazelisa amazinyo kwama-3 nenyikima kwama-2.

Ukulwa Nokuthintela Le Ngxaki

Unokuncedwa njani umntwana ongondlekanga? Ukuba umntwana uyagula ngenxa yokungondleki, ufanele asiwe esibhedlele kuqala. Ngokutsho kwencwadi yoogqirha epapashwe yiWorld Health Organization (WHO), oogqirha baya kumhlola baze banyange nasiphi na isifo anaso okanye bamncede kwingxaki yokuphelelwa ngamanzi emzimbeni. Ngokuthe ngcembe unikwa ukutya yaye ngokuqhelekileyo udla ngokutyiswa ngemibhobho. Olu nyango lokuqala lusenokuthabatha iveki yonke.

Emva koko kuzanywa ukuba umntwana abuyele kwimeko efanelekileyo. Uphinda ancanciswe ubisi lukanina aze atyiswe ukutya okuninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka. Into ebalulekileyo kukuba akhule aze adlamke. Xa umntwana enyanyekelwa yaye ethandwa ukhula kakuhle. Ukuze angaphindi abuyele kule meko, unina ufundiswa indlela yokumnyamekela ngokumtyisa nokumcoca ngendlela efanelekileyo. Emva koko uyakhutshwa esibhedlele. Kubalulekile ukuba loo mntwana amane esisiwa esibhedlele okanye ekliniki ukuze kubonwe ukuba injani imeko yakhe.

Noko ke, kucacile ukuba eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba le meko ithintelwe. Ngenxa yeso sizathu kumazwe amaninzi, urhulumente nezinye iintlangano ezizimeleyo ziye zalungiselela ukuba kufakwe izakha-mzimba ekutyeni okutyiwa ngabantu. Noluntu ngokubanzi lunokuba negalelo ekuthinteleni ukungondleki, ngokumisela iinkqubo zokufundisa abantu ngokutya okunezondlo, ngokugcina imithombo yamanzi icocekile, ngokwakha izindlu zangasese, ukugcina iindawo abahlala kuzo zicocekile, ukukhuthaza abantu ukuba bagonywe nokunyamekela indlela abakhula ngayo abantwana.

Noko ke, yintoni enokwenziwa ngumntu ngamnye ukuze kuthintelwe ukungondleki? Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 8 inikela amacebiso aluncedo. Ukongezelela koko, ingcali kwimibandela yokondla abantwana, uGeorgina Toussaint uncomela ukuba umama amse kwagqirha okanye ekliniki umntwana emva kweentsuku ezisixhenxe ezelwe, naxa enenyanga ubudala, aze amane emsa rhoqo emva kwenyanga. Umama ufanele aye kumaziko ezonyango ukuba umntwana wakhe ubonakala ephelelwe ngamanzi emzimbeni, uhanjiswa sisisu okanye unefiva.

Nangona la macebiso enokuba luncedo kwindlela atya ngayo umntwana, kumele kuvunywe ukuba ukungondleki kuyingxaki enkulu—kangangokuba ayinakupheliswa yimigudu yabantu. IEncyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Ukulungiselela ukuba bonke abantu bafumane ukutya okwaneleyo nokubafundisa ukuba batye ukutya okunezondlo kuseyeyona ngxaki iphambili.” Ngoko ke, ngaba likho ithemba lokuba le ‘ngxaki engaqondakaliyo efuna ingqalelo ngokukhawuleza’ iya kuze iphele?

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 7]

NGABA AKONDLEKANGA UMNTWANA WAKHO?

Iingcali zonyango zimbona njani umntwana ongondlekanga? Zinokujonga iimpawu ezahlukahlukeneyo, zibuze ngendlela atya ngayo umntwana okanye zicele ukuba ilebhu yenze uhlolisiso oluthile. Noko ke, zidla ngokujonga izinto eziqhelekileyo. Zijonga ubunzima bomntwana zize zithelekise oko zikufumeneyo nemilinganiselo eqhelekileyo. Oku kuzinceda zibone umlinganiselo wokungondleki komntwana.

Ezona zinto zibalulekileyo zidla ngokujongwa bubunzima nobude bomntwana nobukhulu beengalo zakhe. Xa kuthelekiswa ubunzima nobudala bomntwana kutsho kubonwe umlinganiselo wokungondleki kwakhe; ukuba akondlekanga ngokugqithiseleyo uya kubonakala ngokuba libathwana elibhityileyo. Kuthiwa imeko yakhe ixhomis’ amehlo xa ubunzima bakhe bungaphantsi kobunzima obuqhelekileyo ngomlinganiselo ongaphezu kwama-40 ekhulwini, yaye kuthiwa ukwimeko embi xa bungama-25 ukusa kuma-40 ekhulwini ngaphantsi kobunzima obuqhelekileyo ngoxa kusithiwa ayixhomisi mehlo xa buli-10 ukusa kuma-25 ekhulwini ngaphantsi kobunzima obuqhelekileyo. Umntwana ongondlekanga ngokugqithiseleyo usenokuba sisidodo.

Umntwana ongazifumani ngokwaneleyo iiprotini uba nemarasmus okanye abe nekwashiorkor okanye abe nazo zombini ezi zifo. Kubantwana abancancayo, imarasmus (isifo esibangela ukuba umntu aye ebhitya) inokubonakala xa beneenyanga ezi-6 ukusa kwezili-18 ubudala. Esi sifo sibangelwa kukungafumani komntwana iikilojoule ezaneleyo yaye loo nto ibangelwa kukungancanci ngokwaneleyo okanye ukusezwa ubisi olungumgubo oluxutywe namanzi amaninzi. Umntwana ubhitya kangangokuba inyama yakhe ide ithi nca emathanjeni yaye uba sisidodo. Kwakhona ubuso bakhe buba ngathi “bubuso bomntu omdala,” ucaphuka msinya yaye usoloko ekhala.

Igama elithi kwashiorkor lithatyathwe kwenye yeelwimi zaseAfrika yaye libhekisela “kumntwana ongxulelweyo.” Libhekisela kumntwana ongakhange ancance ngokwaneleyo ngenxa yokungxulelwa. Esi sifo sibonakala emva kokuba umntwana elunyulwe, yaye nangona ukungafumani iikilojoule ezaneleyo kunegalelo, oyena nobangela waso kukungafumani iiprotini ezaneleyo. Sibangela ukuba umzimba ube namanzi amaninzi, nto leyo eyenza ukuba umntwana abonakale emkhulu ingakumbi ezinyaweni, ezingalweni nasesiswini. Maxa wambi obu bukhulu bunokubonakala nasebusweni. Uba nolusu neenwele eziphatshileyo. Isibindi sidla ngokudumba kubantwana abanesi sifo yaye basoloko benxubile. Wayenjalo noErik okhankanywe ngaphambilana, ngenxa yokuba unina wamncancisa inyanga enye nje kuphela waza emva koko wamnika ubisi lwenkomo oluxutywe namanzi. Xa wayeneenyanga ezintathu ubudala wayesitya isuphu namanzi aneswekile aze anyanyekelwe ngummelwane.

Abanye abantu abangazifumani ngokwaneleyo iiprotini baba neempawu zemarasmus nezekwashiorkor ngaxeshanye. Zonke ezi zifo zinokumbulala umntwana ukuba azinyangwa ngokukhawuleza.

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8]

KHUSELA UMNTWANA WAKHO KWINGXAKI YOKUNGONDLEKI!

◼ Kubalulekile ukuba umama atye ngendlela efanelekileyo. Amabhinqa akhulelweyo nancancisayo afanele afumane iikilojoule neeprotini ezininzi. Iiprotini zinceda ekuveliseni ubisi. Ngoko xa kungekho kutya kwaneleyo, abona bantu bafanele bakufumane ngamabhinqa aselula nabantwana.

◼ Phantse kuzo zonke iimeko, okona kutya kululungeleyo usana lubisi lukanina. Oku kubaluleke gqitha kwiintsuku zokuqala luzelwe ngenxa yokuba ubisi lukanina lunezibulala-ntsholongwane ezilukhuselayo lungasulelwa zizifo. Kwisithuba seenyanga ezine luzelwe, usana lufumana izondlo eziluncedo ekukhuleni kwalo kubisi lukamama.

◼ Nangona ubisi lukamama lukokona kutya kubalulekileyo kusana, lunokunikwa okunye ukutya kwisithuba seenyanga ezine nezintandathu luzelwe. Ngokuthe ngcembe lunokunikwa iziqhamo nemifuno ecujiweyo. Lufanele lunikwe uhlobo olunye lokutya ngexesha. Kwiintsuku ezimbini okanye ezintathu emva kokuba luqhelene noko kutya, lunganikwa uhlobo olutsha. Kakade ke, kusoloko kufuneka umonde neenzame ezahlukahlukeneyo ngaphambi kokuba usana lukuthande ukutya olungakuqhelanga. Xa ulungiselela oko kutya, khumbula ukuba eyona nto iphambili kukuba kucoceke! Kuhlambe ngocoselelo kuquka nezitya oza kuzisebenzisa!

◼ Kwisithuba seenyanga ezintlanu nezisithoba luzelwe, usana ludla ngokufuna iikilojoule neeprotini ezingakumbi kunezo zifumaneka kubisi lukamama. Qhubeka uluqhelanisa neentlobo ezintsha zokutya. Unokuqala ulutyise iicereal nemifuno uze kamva ulutyise inyama nemveliso zobisi. Ngoxa ekuqaleni usana lutyiswa ukutya okucujiweyo, xa luneenyanga ezintandathu lunokunikwa ukutya okunqunqwe kwakuncinane. Kucetyiswa ukuba oku kutya kungafakwa tyuwa okanye iswekile.

◼ Emva kweenyanga ezisibhozo luzelwe, usana alusaxhomekekanga kubisi lukamama kuphela, kodwa lufanele luncance nje ngamathub’ athile. Lunokuqalisa ukutya ukutya okutyiwa ngabantu bonke. Ukutya kwalo kufanele kuhlale kucocekile yaye kunqunqwe kube kuncinane. Kwizinto elizityayo kufanele kubekho iziqhamo nemifuno, iicereal neembotyi, inyama kunye neemveliso zobisi.b Ngokukhethekileyo abantwana kufuneka batye izinto ezinovithamin A. Banokumfumana kubisi lukamama, kwimifuno enamagqabi aluhlaza, kwiziqhamo nakwimifuno enjenge-orenji, imango, iminqathe neepapayas. Abantwana abangaphantsi kweminyaka emithathu bafanele batye kahlanu okanye kathandathu ngemini.

◼ Xa abantwana besitya ukutya okwahlukahlukeneyo baya kufumana izondlo ezahlukahlukeneyo eziya kubakhusela kwizifo. Umama ufanele aqinisekise ukuba ubanika ukutya okunezondlo abantwana bakhe, yaye akamele abanyanzele ngokutya xa behluthi engafanele abavimbe xa besakufuna.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso]

Iingcali ziyavumelana ukuba ubisi lukamama kokona kutya kululungeleyo usana

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Abantwana abatya ingqolowa eyomisiweyo nemifuno kwisikolo saseBhutan

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FAO photo/WFP Photo: F. Mattioli

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Unokuyiphucula indlela atya ngayo umntwana wakho

[Inkcazelo]

FAO photo