Community-Based Nutrition Programmes and School Attendance Among Poor Families in Rural Rwanda Six Months On

Rwanda has seen significant improvements in nutrition programmes aimed at reducing malnutrition among children from poor families living in rural areas. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including surveys and focus group discussions to gather data on both quantitative (school attendance) and qualitative aspects of programme effectiveness. School attendance increased by 20% among children who received nutritional support compared to those in the control group. This trend was most pronounced in families with young children under five years old. Community-based nutrition programmes have a positive impact on school attendance among poor families in rural Rwanda, especially for younger children. Continuation and expansion of these programmes are recommended to further enhance educational outcomes and child health. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.