Baliyo's work in the field

In 2016, 36% of Nepalese children under the age of five were stunted. Baliyo Nepal is a foundation based on collective action to combat child malnutrition. One of their projects is to offer every child aged between 6 and 23 months eggs and enriched porridge in addition to breast milk.

The aim is to reduce nutritional deficiencies and increase the consumption of nutritious foods. It relies on the presence of community relay women in the villages. Their role is to explain the benefits of this diet for children.

Everest: a symbol of hope

To promote Baliyo's action and encourage families to follow in its footsteps, The Ink Link supported the creation of a short story book for the Nepalese population.

This book is the ideal tool for people who have difficulty reading. The illustration is presented on one side, while the health worker can read the text on the other.

Written by Laure Garancher and illustrated by Isabelle Mandrou, the story follows the journey of a little Nepalese girl named Everest: to make her strong, her parents follow the recommended diet program. This will enable Everest to realize her dream of becoming a cricket champion!

Numerous exchanges with local relays ensured that the story matched the local context. For example, the landscapes were modified to reflect the reality on the ground.

Impact of the project on the population

The comic book is passed on by community relays women to mothers in the villages. The Ink Link helped set up training for these relays.

The great story of little Everest is told in villages across the country. By listening to this story, which could be their own, the children can identify with Everest. As cricket fans, they make her their own. To do so, they have to eat healthily, with the enriched porridge and egg provided by the community relays women.

Baliyo Nepal benefits from additional support to anchor its action in the field. With the hashtag #ChildrenLikeEverest, the foundation encourages children to make their dreams come true, following the example of the heroine Everest has become.