Bringing Nutrition and Hygiene Within Reach for Mothers and Girls in Urban Communities

While rapid urbanization has fueled economic growth, it has also expanded low-income settlements where poor sanitation, limited services, and unstable livelihoods are common. In the narrow lanes of Bangladesh’s growing cities, health risks often begin at home; where clean water is scarce, nutrition is uncertain, and daily survival takes priority over well-being. For women and children, these conditions carry lasting consequences. Limited awareness of balanced diets, safe food practices, and menstrual hygiene deepens these vulnerabilities.

It is within this reality that the Livelihoods Support for Urban Poor Communities in Bangladesh (LSUPCB) project is working to make change tangible.

Implemented by the Local Government Division and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from GDF/CIDCA, the project brings together livelihood, health, and nutrition support, recognising that poverty is not only about income, but also access, awareness, and dignity.

Through an integrated approach, the project strengthens economic resilience while improving nutrition and hygiene among women and girls, contributing to more inclusive and healthier urban communities.

Across six urban areas, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, Narayanganj, and Chandpur, the project reaches 100 vulnerable communities, supporting around 30,000 households.

At the community level, nutrition sessions bring women and adolescent girls together in small groups to learn, share, and ask questions. Participants explore balanced diets, maternal nutrition, infant feeding, and hygiene practices through interactive discussions and demonstrations, guided by trained facilitators with expertise in public health and community engagement.

For many, these sessions are the first step toward linking daily habits with long-term health.

Since January 2026, the project has distributed 4,000 nutrition food baskets monthly to pregnant and lactating mothers, containing essentials such as oil, eggs, and lentils. Moreover, 1,000 hygiene kits equipped with menstrual hygiene products and basic supplies have reached adolescent girls.

In Chandpur Municipality, Sajeda Begum, lactating mother, once struggled to maintain proper nutrition for herself and her child due to irregular income. Today, with support from the food basket initiative, she feels more secure.

“I feel happy and strong now,” she says. “My child is getting healthy, nutritious food, and I know my child is healthy.”

By addressing both knowledge and need, the LSUPCB project is helping build healthier beginnings where mothers are nourished, girls are informed, and communities are better equipped for the future.

Healthier urban communities begin when mothers are nourished, girls are informed, and essential support reaches those who need it most.