Izimbangela Ezijulile, Imiphumela Efinyelela Kude

“Ngangilambile nina nabumba ikomiti eyaphenya ngokulamba kwami. Ngangingenakhaya nagcina umbiko ngosizi lwami. Ngangigula nina naqhuba ingqungquthela ngesimo sabantu abahluphekayo. Naphenya ngazo zonke izici zokuhlupheka kwami kodwa namanje ngisalambile, anginakhaya futhi ngiyagula.”—Umlobi ongaziwa.

NAKUBA izinhlangano zomhlaba wonke ziye zenza imizamo emikhulu yokuqeda ukungondleki kwabantu, eziye zakufinyelela akuzange kwanelise amathemba. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1996 i-World Food Summit eyayihlelwe yi-Food and Agriculture Organization yeZizwe Ezihlangene (FAO) yazibekela umgomo wokunciphisa inani labangondlekile emhlabeni ngesigamu—okungabantu ababalelwa ezigidini ezingu-400—ngonyaka ka-2015.a

Kuyancomeka ukuthi kunentuthuko eyenziwe. Kodwa ngokudabukisayo, umbiko wamuva nje we-FAO othi The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2001, uyavuma: “Ngokusobala, uye wathikamezeka umzamo wokunciphisa abantu abangondlekile emhlabeni.” Ngakho, umgomo wale ngqungquthela usabonakala ungaphezu kwamandla. Eqinisweni, lo mbiko uyavuma ukuthi “inani labantu abangondlekile liye landa kakhulu emazweni amaningi asathuthuka.”

Kungani kunzima kangaka ukunqoba lesi sitha? Ukuze sithole impendulo, ake siqale sichaze ukuthi kuyini ukungondleki bese sihlola imiphumela yako efinyelela kude nezimbangela zako ezijulile.

Yini Ebangela Ukungondleki?

Ukungondleki kubangelwa ukuhluleka kwamangqamuzana omzimba ukungenisa izakhi ezanele, futhi ngokuvamile kubangelwa inhlanganisela yezici ezimbili: (1) ukungatholi amaprotheni, ama-kilojoule, amavithamini namaminerali anele kanye (2) nokuhlaselwa yizifo njalo.

Izifo ezinjengohudo, isimungumungwana, umalaleveva nokucinana kwemigudu yokuphefumula zikhandla umzimba ziwenze ulahlekelwe yizakhi. Zinciphisa isifiso sokudla, okunomthelela ekubangeleni ukungondleki. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, umntwana ongondlekile kahle usengozini yokuthola izifo. Kanjalo kwakheka umjikelezo omubi owandisa ukufa okubangelwa ukungondleki ngenxa yokuntula amaprotheni.

Kungani abantwana besengozini enkulu yokuhlaselwa ukungondleki? Basenkathini yokukhula okusheshayo okudinga isilinganiso esithé xaxa sama-kilojoule namaprotheni. Ngenxa yesizathu esifanayo, abesifazane abakhulelwe nabancelisayo basengozini yokungondleki.

Ngokuvamile, inkinga yomntwana iqala ngisho nangaphambi kokuba azalwe. Uma umama engondlekile kahle ngaphambi kokuba akhulelwe naphakathi nesikhathi sokukhulelwa, usana luyozalwa lungenasisindo esifanele. Kanti-ke, ukulumula umntwana ngokushesha, imikhuba yokudla engafanele kanye nokuntuleka kwenhlanzeko kungabangela ukungondleki.

Ukuntula izakhi ezidingekayo kwenza umntwana abhashe angakhuli ngendlela efanele. Ukhala njalo futhi agule njalo. Njengoba lesi simo sibhebhetheka, kuba sobala ukuthi uyazaca, amehlo ayabhocobala nokhakhayi lushone, isikhumba nezicubu kuyaqina, kunciphe nekhono lokulondoloza ukushisa komzimba.

Ukungondleki kungabonakala nangezinye izindlela. Nazo lezi zingenza abantwana babhashe. Ngokwesibonelo, ukungadli amaminerali anele—ikakhulukazi okusansimbi, i-iodine ne-zinc—namavithamini—ikakhulukazi uvithamini A—kungaba nalowo mphumela. I-United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) iphawula ukuthi ukuntula uvithamini A kuthinta abantwana abangaba yizigidi eziyikhulu emhlabeni futhi kubangela ubumpumputhe. Kuwohloza nesimiso somzimba sokuzivikela ezifweni, kuchaye umntwana ezifweni.

Imiphumela Efinyelela Kude

Ukungondleki kubangela izinkinga emzimbeni, ikakhulukazi owomntwana. Zonke izitho nezimiso zomzimba—kuhlanganise nenhliziyo, izinso, isisu, amathumbu, amaphaphu nobuchopho—zingase zithinteke.

Ucwaningo oluhlukahlukene luye lwabonisa ukuthi ukubhasha komntwana kuhambisana nokuthikamezeka kwengqondo nokuhluleka ezifundweni zesikole. Umbiko weZizwe Ezihlangene ubiza lokhu ngokuthi imiphumela yokungondleki ehlala isikhathi eside emibi kakhulu.

Kubantwana abasindayo ekungondlekini kahle, imiphumela ingaphikelela baze bakhule. Yingakho i-UNICEF yakhononda: “Ukuwohloka kokuhlakanipha kwabantu abaningi kangaka—ngezizathu ezingase zivinjelwe cishe ngokuphelele—kuwumonakalo omkhulu, ongafanele nakancane.” Ngakho imiphumela yokungondleki ehlala isikhathi eside ibangela ukukhathazeka okukhulu. Ucwaningo lwamuva nje luhlobanisa ukungondleki kwezinsana nokuthambekela kwazo ezifweni ezingamahlalakhona lapho sezikhulile, izifo ezinjengesifo senhliziyo, sikashukela nomfutho wegazi ophakeme.

Nokho, ukungondleki okukhulu akuyona inkinga enkulu, njengoba i-UNICEF ivuma: “Abantu abangaphezu kwengxenye yesithathu yabo bonke ababulawa ukungondleki ababulawa ukungondleki okukhulu kodwa ukungondleki okuncane noma okusesilinganisweni.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.) Abantwana abanenkinga yokungondleki okuncane noma okusesilinganisweni bangase bachayeke emiphumeleni yempilo ehlala njalo. Ngakho-ke, kubalulekile ukuba izimpawu zokungondleki kwabantwana ziqashelwe ukuze banikezwe ukwelashwa okufanele.—Bheka ibhokisi elisekhasini 7.

Izimbangela Ezijulile

Njengoba sekushiwo, imbangela eqondile yokungondleki ukuntula ukudla. Kodwa kunezimbangela ezijulile zezenhlalo, zezomnotho, zezempucuko nezendawo ezungezile. Phakathi kwazo eyinhloko ubumpofu, obuthinta izigidi zabantu, ikakhulukazi emazweni asathuthuka. Nokho, ngaphandle nje kokuba yimbangela, ubumpofu buwumphumela, ngoba ukungondleki kuwohloza amandla abantu, okubhebhethekisa ubumpofu.

Kunezinye izici ezinomthelela. Ukungabi nolwazi kubangela imikhuba yokudla engafanele. Njengoba sesibonile, izifo zinendima. Kukhona nezimbangela zezenhlalo nezempucuko, njengokwabiwa kokudla ngokungalingani kanye nokucwaswa kwabesifazane. Ngokuvamile abesifazane badla “ekugcineni futhi badle kancane”—okuwukuthi, badla ngemva kokuba sekudle amadoda futhi badla kancane kunawo. Abesifazane benqatshelwa namathuba emfundo ebingabasiza ukuba banakekele abantwana babo kangcono.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, izici zendawo ezungezile zinciphisa ukudla okukhiqizwayo. Phakathi kwazo kunezinhlekelele zemvelo nezimpi. Ngokwe-State of Food Insecurity in the World 2001, kusukela ngo-October 1999 kuya ku-June 2001 kuphela, amazwe angu-22 ahlaselwa yisomiso, angu-17 ahlaselwa yiziphepho noma izikhukhula, angu-14 aba nezimpi zombango, amathathu aba nobusika obushubisa umnkantsha, kanti amabili ahlaselwa ukuzamazama komhlaba.

Indlela Yokukwelapha Nokukuvimbela

Ukungondleki komntwana kungelashwa kanjani? Uma umntwana engondlekile neze, kungase kube ngcono ukuqala ngokumlalisa esibhedlela. Ngokwencwadi yodokotela enyatheliswa yi-World Health Organization, odokotela bayohlaziya isimo somntwana belaphe noma yiziphi izifo anazo noma ukuphelelwa kwakhe amanzi emzimbeni. Angase aqale ukufunzwa kancane kancane, okuvame ukuqala ngokudla ngamapayipi. Le nqubo yokuqala ingase ithathe cishe isonto lonke.

Kube sekulandela inqubo yokumjwayeza. Umntwana udla ubisi lukanina futhi akhuthazwe ukuba adle kakhulu ngangokunokwenzeka. Phakathi nalesi sigaba kubalulekile ukumsekela ngokomzwelo nangokomzimba. Ukunakekela nothando kungenza lukhulu kumntwana ongakhuli kahle. Lesi yisikhathi lapho umama engase afundiswe khona ukunakekela umntanakhe ngokudla okufanele nangokumgcina ehlanzekile, ukuze izinkinga zingabuyi futhi. Umntwana ube esededelwa esibhedlela. Kubalulekile ukuba umntwana ayiswe esibhedlela noma emtholampilo ayohlolwa ngezikhathi ezimisiwe.

Kodwa-ke, kusobala ukuthi ukuvimbela lesi simo kuyinkambo engcono kakhulu. Yingakho emazweni amaningi, ohulumeni nezinhlangano ezizimele beye bamisa izinhlelo zokuthasiselwa kokudla okudliwa umphakathi. Imiphakathi nayo ineqhaza ekuvimbeleni ukungondleki ngezindlela eziningi, njengokulungiselela izinhlelo zemfundo yezokudla, ukuvikela amanzi aphuzwayo, ukwakha izindlu zangasese, ukugcina indawo ihlanzekile, ukuxhasa imikhankaso yokugomela izifo, nokunakekela ukukhula kwabantwana.

Kodwa yini abantu ngabanye abangayenza ukuze bavimbele ukungondleki? Ibhokisi elisekhasini 8 linokusikisela okuwusizo. Ngaphandle kwalokhu kusikisela, isazi sokondleka kwezingane uGeorgina Toussaint situsa ukuba umama abuyele kudokotela wabantwana noma emtholampilo ezinsukwini ezingu-7 ngemva kokuzalwa komntwana, nalapho usana selunenyanga ubudala, abese eya nyanga zonke ngemva kwalokho. Umama kufanele afune nokunakekelwa kwempilo kochwepheshe uma umntwana ebonisa izimpawu zokuphelelwa amanzi emzimbeni, uhudo olubi noma imfiva.

Nakuba lokhu kusikisela kuwusizo ekuthuthukiseni ukondleka kwabantwana, kumelwe sivume ukuthi ukungondleki kuyinkinga enkulu—enkulu kangangokuthi ukuyixazulula kungaphezu kwemizamo yabantu. I-Encyclopædia Britannica iyavuma: “Nokho, ukutholakala kokudla okwanele nemfundo yezokondleka kubo bonke abantu kuseyinkinga enkulu.” Ngakho-ke, ingabe likhona ithemba lokuthi lesi “simo esibucayi esiwumshoshaphansi” siyoke siphele?

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INGABE UMNTANAKHO AKONDLEKILE?

Ochwepheshe bezempilo babona kanjani ukuthi umntwana akondlekile? Bangase bahlaziye izimpawu ezihlukahlukene, babuze imibuzo ngokuphathelene nemikhuba yokudla, bese beyaleza ukuba kwenziwe ukuhlola esikhungweni socwaningo. Nokho, ngokuvamile bathembele ekusebenziseni izilinganiso eziqondile. Bakala umzimba wengane bese beqhathanisa lezo zibalo nezindinganiso ezimisiwe. Lokho kubasiza ukuba babone ukuthi ukungondleki kubi kangakanani futhi kuwuhlobo luni.

Izilinganiso ezibaluleke kakhulu isisindo, ubude nobukhulu bezingalo. Ukuqhathanisa isisindo nobudala bomntwana kwembula ububi bokungondleki kwakhe; uma kukubi, umntwana uyazaca impela. Lesi sifo kuthiwa sibi uma isisindo somntwana singaphansi kwesivamile ngamaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-40, sisesilinganisweni uma singaphansi ngamaphesenti angu-25 kuya kwangu-40, kanti sincane uma singaphansi kwesisindo esivamile ngamaphesenti ayishumi kuya kwangu-25. Isilinganiso esiphansi kakhulu sokuqhathaniswa kobude nobudala bomntwana singase sembule ukungondleki okungelapheki—umntwana usuke ebhashile.

Izinhlobo zokungondleki ngenxa yokuntula amaprotheni ezimbi kakhulu i-marasmus ne-kwashiorkor, noma inhlanganisela yazo zombili. I-marasmus (ukuzaca okuqhubekayo) ibonakala ezinsaneni ezisancela ezinezinyanga eziyisithupha kuya kwezingu-18 ubudala. Iqala kancane ngokuntuleka kwama-kilojoule nezakhi bese ibhebhetheka ngenxa yokunganceliswa komntwana ngokwanele noma ngenxa yokusebenzisa izingxube ezihlanjululiwe ezilula esikhundleni sobisi lukamama. Umntwana uyazaca kakhulu, futhi imisipha iba mincane kangangokuba isikhumba sinamathela emathanjeni, bese ebhasha. Umntwana futhi uba “nobuso bomuntu ogugile,” uyashesha ukuzwela futhi ukhala njalo.

Igama elithi kwashiorkor, elivela olimini oluthile lwaboMdabu, lisho “ingane ekhishwe esikhundleni.” Libhekisela ekukhishweni kwengane ebeleni likanina ngenxa yokuzalwa kosana olusha. Lesi simo sivela ngemva kokulunyulwa, futhi nakuba sihlanganisa ukuntuleka kwama-kilojoule, sibangelwa kakhulu ukuntuleka kwamaprotheni. Senza umzimba ugcine amanzi, okwenza umntwana abonakale evuvukele isisu namaphethelo ezitho zomzimba. Ngezinye izikhathi sithinta nobuso, sibenze bube yindilinga. Kuvela izilonda zesikhumba nokushintsha kwebala lesikhumba nezinwele. Abantwana abanalesi sifo bavuvukala isibindi futhi baba nomzwangedwa, banyukubale. Kwakunjalo ngo-Erik, okukhulunywe ngaye ngaphambili, unina amncelisa ibele ngenyanga yokuqala kuphela yokuphila kwakhe; wabe esemnika ubisi lwenkomo olufakwe amanzi kakhulu. Lapho esenezinyanga ezintathu wayedla isobho lemifino ephuza nombhubhudlo futhi washiywa ezandleni zomakhelwane.

Uhlobo lwesithathu lokungondleki ngenxa yokuntula amaprotheni luhlanganisa izici zako kokubili i-marasmus ne-kwashiorkor. Zonke lezi zifo zingabulala uma zingelashwa ngokushesha.

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VIKELA UMNTANAKHO ENKINGENI YOKUNGONDLEKI!

◼ Kubalulekile ukuthuthukisa indlela umama adla ngayo. Abesifazane abakhulelwe nabancelisayo kufanele badle ama-kilojoule namaprotheni athé xaxa. Amaprotheni ikakhulukazi asiza ekukhiqizeni ubisi lukamama. Ngakho uma kunokudla okuncane, makudle abesifazane abasebudaleni bokuba omama kuqala kanye nabantwana abancane.

◼ Cishe kuzo zonke izimo, ukudla okungcono kakhulu kumntwana ubisi lukanina. Lokhu kuyiqiniso ikakhulukazi phakathi nezinsuku zokuqala ngemva kokuzalwa ngoba ubisi lukamama luqukethe amasosha omzimba avikela umntwana ezifweni. Phakathi nezinyanga zokuqala ezingaba zine, ubisi lwebele lunazo zonke izakhi umntwana azidingayo ukuze akhule ngendlela efanele.

◼ Nakuba ubisi lukamama lusewukudla okuyinhloko, phakathi nenyanga yesine neyesithupha, umntwana usuke esekulungele ukuthola ezinye izinhlobo zokudla. Kancane kancane mjwayeze izithelo nemifino ecubuziwe. Jwayeza umntwana ukudla okukodwa ngesikhathi. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbili noma ezintathu, lapho esekujwayele lokho kudla, mnikeze okunye. Yiqiniso, kudingeka isineke nomzamo oqhubekayo ngaphambi kokuba umntwana avume ukudla ukudla okusha. Uma upheka ukudla okunjalo, khumbula ukuthi yonke into kufanele ihlanzeke ingahlalwa mpukane! Gezisisa ukudla nezitsha ozisebenzisayo!

◼ Phakathi nenyanga yesihlanu neyesi-9 bezelwe, abantwana ngokuvamile baqala ukudinga ama-kilojoule namaprotheni angaphezu kwalawo atholakala obisini. Qhubeka umjwayeza okunye ukudla. Ukudla kwabantwana okusanhlamvu nokuyimifino kungase kuze kuqala, bese kamuva kuba inyama nemikhiqizo yobisi. Nakuba ungase ukucwengisise ukudla ekuqaleni, kusukela lapho umntwana enezinyanga eziyisithupha kuqhubeke, kungase kuqotshwe kube yizicucwana. Akudingekile futhi akutuswa ukunonga ngosawoti noma ngoshukela.

◼ Ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-8, ubisi lukamama alusewona umgogodla wokudla komntwana, kodwa kunalokho, luyathasisela. Umntwana uqala ukudla ukudla okudliwa ekhaya. Ukudla kufanele kuhlanzeke ngokuphelele, futhi kufanele kuqotshwe kahle ukuze akwazi ukukuhlafuna kalula. Ukudla okufanele kuhlanganisa izithelo nemifino, okusanhlamvu nokusabhontshisi, kanye nenyama nemikhiqizo yobisi.b Abantwana badinga ikakhulukazi ukudla okunothe ngovithamini A. Ezinye izibonelo zokudla okunjalo ubisi lwebele, imifino eluhlaza, kanye nezithelo nemifino ephuzi noma enombala owolintshi njengomango, izaqathe kanye nopopo. Abantwana abaneminyaka engaphansi kwemithathu kufanele badle kahlanu noma kasithupha ngosuku.

◼ Ukudla okunhlobonhlobo okuxutshiwe kunezakhi ezivikela umntwana. Umama kufanele agxile ekupheni umntwana ukudla okunomsoco, angamphoqeleli umntwana ukuba adle noma esesuthi noma amgodlele ukudla uma kubonakala ukuthi ufuna okwengeziwe.

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Ochwepheshe bayavumelana ngokuthi ubisi lukamama cishe luwukudla kosana okungcono ngaso sonke isikhathi

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© Caroline Penn/Panos Pictures

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Izingane zidla ukolo ogazingiwe nemifino esikoleni eBhutan

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FAO photo/WFP Photo: F. Mattioli

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Ungathatha izinyathelo zokuthuthukisa ukondleka komntanakho

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FAO photo