ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutritional Epidemiology
Community-Driven Strategies for Preventing Childhood Stunting: Perspectives from Parents and Front-line Workers in Rwanda
Provisionally accepted
Jean De Dieu HABIMANA1*
Eric Matsiko1
Theogene Habumugisha2*
Joseph Karemera1
Noel Korukire1
Maryse Umugwaneza3
Lawrence Rugema1
Cyprien Munyanshongore1- 1School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda, University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kigali, Rwanda
- 2Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Norway, Universitetet i Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- 3Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority, Kigali, Rwanda
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Background: Childhood stunting remains a major public health challenge in Rwanda, affecting child growth, development, and long-term health outcomes. This study explored the views of parents and front-line workers to inform community-driven strategies to prevent stunting. Methods: Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Key Informant Interviews (KII) were conducted among 83 parents and front-line workers in five districts of Rwanda, including Nyaruguru, Rutsiro, Burera, Kayonza, and Gasabo, all purposively selected based on their high prevalence of stunting in their respective provinces and Kigali City. The conventional content analysis approach was used to identify the main themes. Results: Three core themes were identified from the data and were related to: (1) perceived roles of community-led nutrition and hygiene interventions, (2) challenges in the implementation of community-based programmes, and (3) suggested approaches to enhance community participation and adherence. The highlighted strategies included strengthening caregiver capacity, promoting nutrition education, improving access to health and family planning services, and supporting economically feasible interventions such as facilitating access to fruits through fruit trees and small livestock growing. Conclusion: Enhancing community coordination, promoting nutrition education, ensuring access to health and family planning services, and strengthening caregiver capacity were suggested as essential community-driven strategies to reduce stunting.
Keywords: and local leaders, Childhood stunting, Community Health Workers, Community-driven strategies, farmer promoters, front-line workers, Inshuti z' Umuryango, Parents
Received: 15 Oct 2025; Accepted: 19 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 HABIMANA, Matsiko, Habumugisha, Karemera, Korukire, Umugwaneza, Rugema and Munyanshongore. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Jean De Dieu HABIMANA
Theogene Habumugisha
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