As the saying goes, “it takes a village to raise a child”—and during my recent trip to northern Mozambique with Save the Children, I saw just how true that is in the village of Nacala.

I came away from this trip with a new understanding of what a huge difference it makes when a community is really involved with kids’ development and well-being.  In this poor country, children face a number of challenges including malnutrition, stunting, limited access to clean water and exposure to diseases like malaria and pneumonia, which can threaten their young, vulnerable bodies.

But in Nacala, the community is working diligently to give their kids the best possible start in life.  The moms are clearly in charge of health and nutrition. When I arrived, they were weighing each child on a scale hung from a tree branch—as the kids swung happily in the little blue sling, the female community leader of the program counseled each mom on her child’s progress.

The women then showed me a fortified porridge that they make for the kids, including corn meal, sugar, salt, ground sesame seeds and the leaves of the local moringa tree, which is very high in vitamins. This is one of the ways that they make sure young children are receiving the right nutrients—and, after using a leaf as a spoon to sample the porridge, I can confirm that it’s also pretty good!

I spent the rest of my visit learning about the community’s farming program, which helps diversify their food sources, and their community loan program, which helps families that are struggling get back on their feet. But the best part of my visit came when I was saying goodbye.  That was when the community members thanked me for coming, thanked Save the Children for its support…and let me know that they didn’t need us anymore.

This village had learned how to care for the health of its children in a sustainable, locally-led way and all of them—the kids, the parents, the entire community—are now thriving.  After just a little training and education from Save the Children, the moms and dads of Nacala are making a better, healthier future for their children. As our vehicle made its way out of town down the dusty African road, I waved goodbye with a very light heart, secure in the knowledge that this village full of empowered parents and friends will continue to be the best champions for their own children.