In a concerted effort to tackle chronic child malnutrition, Uganda’s Ministry of Health—supported by UNICEF, Pristine Foods Ltd., and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad)—has launched the Egg Powder Initiative for Children (EPIC).
The program aims to distribute powdered eggs to thousands of children under the age of two in Uganda’s Tooro sub-region, where food abundance contrasts sharply with persistently high rates of child stunting.
EPIC introduces a shelf-stable, nutrient-rich egg powder that can be easily mixed into traditional Ugandan meals.
“The egg powder will be mixed with locally available foods like beans and matooke, adding animal-source protein to diversify and enrich children’s diets,” explained Laura Ahumuza Turinawe, a senior nutritionist at the Ministry of Health.
This practical solution addresses a deeply rooted public health challenge. Despite Tooro being one of Uganda’s most agriculturally productive regions—often referred to as the country’s “food basket”—districts like Kamwenge and Kyegegwa report child stunting rates approaching 40%, comparable to levels in chronically food-insecure regions such as Karamoja.
This disparity reveals a broader systemic issue: in Uganda, malnutrition is no longer solely about food scarcity, but also about diet quality and nutrition education.
“Tooro is a food basket. Yet, when you look at the data, it’s competing with Karamoja for the highest malnutrition rates,” said Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, Director of Public Health. “The President often says: ‘Your healthy people have failed to teach communities what to eat.’ This initiative is about changing that.”
EPIC represents a shift in Uganda’s nutrition strategy—from focusing solely on food availability to emphasizing food utilization. By offering a familiar food product (eggs) in a more accessible format (powdered), the initiative reduces cultural resistance and addresses logistical barriers, particularly in under-resourced areas.
Crucially, EPIC is designed to reach the communities that need it most. Christine Tuhaise, a mother from Kamwenge District, described a common paradox:
“We have good food—eggs, avocados, pineapples—but we sell it all. Our children are left eating cassava, matooke, or maize every day. And with the little money we earn, we often buy junk food instead of nutritious meals.”
Her experience highlights two core challenges: economic pressures that prioritize income over child nutrition, and widespread gaps in dietary knowledge. EPIC addresses both by providing free, protein-rich egg powder and complementary nutrition education to encourage healthier household decisions.
Each 12-gram sachet of EPIC egg powder—equivalent to one whole egg—is easy to add to staples like beans, rice, or porridge. It delivers highly bioavailable essential amino acids. Manufactured by Pristine Foods Ltd., the powder has a shelf life of 2 to 10 months, making it ideal for rural areas where refrigeration is limited and fresh eggs are expensive or scarce.
The initiative’s supply chain promotes sustainability and community ownership. Eggs are sourced from more than 100 smallholder farmers, processed in Kireka, and distributed to regions with the highest nutritional needs.
“This is a quality product that we are embracing as part of our strategy to end all forms of malnutrition,” said Samalie Namukose, Assistant Commissioner for Nutrition.
EPIC is currently in its first phase, providing free egg powder to 25,950 children aged 6–23 months in Kamwenge, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, and Kasese. Ultimately, 50,000 children will receive a daily sachet for six months—totaling 180 servings per child.
“We want families to see eggs as a staple for children. One egg a day can significantly improve a child’s growth,” Namukose emphasized.
EPIC is not just a short-term intervention. It forms a cornerstone of UNICEF’s broader First Foods Africa strategy, which seeks to make nutrient-rich complementary foods accessible and acceptable across the continent.
Uganda has made progress in reducing child malnutrition, but the pace remains slow. According to the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, stunting among children under five has declined from 29% to 26%, and the proportion of underweight children has fallen from 14% to 10%.
To meet the national stunting reduction target of 12.5% by 2030, however, Uganda must accelerate its progress—from a 0.9 to a 5.3 percentage point annual reduction.
“Stunting has decreased… but we must push these numbers even lower,” Namukose urged.