Participatory Research for the Pastoralist Health and Nutrition Initiative

Acknowledgements This study was made possible with funding from the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Many thanks go to the dedicated research team of data collectors; they include Rashid Ibrahim Osman of Save the Children USA, Almaz Mulugeta and Yusuf Ali of Save the Children UK, Save the Children UK for providing considerable support for this study. We are grateful to Professor Helen Young at the Feinstein International Center and Mohammed Abdinoor at USAID Ethiopia for reviewing and providing comment on a draft of this report. Finally, thanks go to Elizabeth Bontrager and Anastasia Marshak for help with graphics and to Jonelle Lonergan for proofreading and edits. List of commonly used Somali words and their meaning Ambula, Garow or Harur whole grain millet, wheat or maize cooked and served with milk (or garoor), sugar or ghee. Cano la'an a local term to describe 'the suffering due to the lack of milk' among children Deyr the second rainy season (October to December) Digre the wood/bark of a small tree, cooked in boiling water and added to milk or water for consumption by young children. Garoor fresh milk (usually camel) that is several days old and has soured Ghee a clarified butter made from surplus goat or cow milk in the rainy season. Gooryan 'worms' or intestinal parasites Gu the long rainy season (April to June) Hagaa the dry windy season (July to September) Irmaansi the practice of the better off lending a milking animal to a poorer relative or neighbor Jilaal the hot dry season (January to March) Khat green leaves of the plant chewed in order to achieve a state of euphoria and stimulation Laxoox a type of injera (Ethiopian bread) made from wheat flour, sugar and oil. Nafaqo‐daaro a local term for malnutrition. The signs described by women to define it included weight loss, thinness around the face, lethargy and sickness (or more regular episodes of illness). Ouji a soft thin porridge made with flour and cooked with milk or ghee, water and sugar. Soor or Shuro a solid paste made from sorghum, maize, wheat or millet flour cooked with water and served with milk or ghee and sugar. Zakat the yearly Islamic redistribution of wealth (such as crops and animals) to the poor 1 Summary Children that live in pastoralist areas of Africa are increasingly referred to as some of …