Starting date: November 2008

The aim of the project "Back to Natural Nutrition"  was to support the adoption of best practices in mother and child health at the community level. Behavioral changes are fostered by building the women's capacity, and the community's self reliance is more achieved by making women peer educators and leaders in their community.

Amel Association offered trainings for women via mother supporting groups in Hay el Sellom, Chiah, Musharrafieh and Khiam, that aim at educating them about appropriate mother and child health and feeding practices for infants. Whenever possible, community festive events were organized where women act as peer educators, demonstrate what they've learned. Since 2007 , support is always provided to women support groups in Khiam, thanks to ANERA.

At the end of the project , Amel Association, Women's Organization and ANERA, Organized together by the “festival Back to Authentic Nutrition” which was  educational, interactive and delightful.

There were stands promoting breastfeeding, healthy food - especially for children - and posters and leaflets on the fatal effects of smoking, as well as advice on how to quit. Small ‘coupons’ with anti-smoking messages, which could be exchanged with gift,  were offered to the participants. The ‘coupons’ proved popular, especially one which quoted a child asking his/her parents not to smoke for the sake of their and the children’s health.

The festival ‘Back to Authentic Nutrition,  the latest in the three-year life of the Creative Health Campaign, was most notable for the diversity of its participants – Lebanese, Palestinians and Iraqis – and its venue, the Woods of Beirut, one of the few public parks in the Lebanese capital.