ADAMA -September 1, 2025 (EPHI/NIPN) -The six-day National Nutrition Leadership Training for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Steering Committee (MER SC) and Food and Nutrition Technical Committee (FNTC) members successfully concluded here yesterday. Organized by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), the training aimed to enhance the leadership and nutritional skills of participants, laying a solid foundation for improved nutrition governance in the country.
Opening the training session, which brought together 24 trainees and six trainers, Mr. Yonatan Mamo, Multisectoral and Seqota Declaration Coordination Desk Head, representing Mrs. Hiwot Darsene, the Lead Executive Officer at the Nutrition Coordination Office, Ministry of Health (MOH), emphasized the significance of the program. He encouraged participants to engage actively, highlighting that the training aims to enhance their skills and knowledge in nutrition leadership.
In a dynamic gathering that showcased growth and learning, the training focused on the crucial connection between nutrition and leadership, promising to equip attendees with the skills necessary for real-world application. The program outlined nine engaging modules, each designed to focus on different aspects of the themes at hand. Facilitated by senior trainers— Dr. Aregash Samuel, Dr. Adane Tesfaye, Muluken Bekele, Frezer Zewdu, Mulat Tirfe, and Abera Dibabe—each session was enriched with expertise and insight.
To foster collaboration, participants were divided into five teams (named after wild animals), namely Black Lion, Bushbuck, Nyala, Walya, and Wolf, each assigned to host the event and prepare a daily newsletter on different days. In addition, different games were introduced, each linked to team building and related concepts. This structure allowed the teams to take turns, creating an atmosphere of teamwork and shared learning.
As part of the program, participants engaged in lively group discussions and interactive games, which not only challenged their knowledge but also fostered friendships among them.
The culmination of this significant training was a formal presentation of certificates of participation, which were handed out by Dr. Aregash Samuel, Coordinator of the National Information Platform for Nutrition (NIPN) and Lead Researcher at EPHI. In her closing remarks, after presenting the certificates, she explained the efforts and financial expenses involved in organizing the program. She said that the African Nutrition Leadership Program (ANLP), inspired by the European Nutrition Leadership Program (ENLP), builds leadership skills among African nutrition professionals. It emphasizes vision, ethical practice, teamwork, communication, and evidence-based decision-making, equipping participants with both technical and soft skills to drive innovation, collaboration, and sustainable solutions for improved nutrition across the continent. In Ethiopia, this approach has inspired the establishment of the Ethiopian Nutrition Leadership Network (ENLN), which brings together national professionals trained through ANLP to strengthen leadership, knowledge sharing, and coordinated action in the country’s nutrition sector.
She specially acknowledged the financial contribution by Save the Children for supporting this training. Dr. Aregash also thanked the facilitators for their commitment to making this training a success. She expressed her confidence that the participants would put into practice the knowledge they acquired from the training. She further reinforced the significance of the training and its relevance in today’s world. She also emphasized inculcating “lead from where you stand,” one of the main principles of this training.
Two participants of the training, Dr. Abebe Ayelign from Addis Ababa University and Birtukan Shiferaw from the Amhara Regional Public Health Institute, Dessie branch, described the program as highly useful and relevant for their personal development. Birtukan further noted that she would enhance and develop the knowledge she gained through reading and other personal efforts.
The training, described as a blend of entertainment and seriousness, was characterized as "hot and impressive." It concluded with a ceremonial cake-cutting, symbolizing the celebration of the participants' achievements and the knowledge they acquired. This event not only marked the end of the training but also fostered a sense of collaborative spirit, professional community and shared commitment to applying what they learned in their respective fields.
By highlighting vital modules like the basics of food and nutrition, leadership and management, nutrition leadership, locus of control, appreciative inquiry, communication, nutrition governance, team dynamics, nutrition and time management, conflict management, and transformational leadership, etc., the training inspired attendees to take actionable steps, ensuring that the insights gained will have a lasting impact on their work and contributions.
The training program was preceded by the quarterly meeting of the National Food and Nutrition Strategy (NFNS) Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Steering Committee (MER SC), held in Adama on Monday, August 25, 2025, to assess multi-sectoral progress in food and nutrition initiatives across implementing sectors.
Organized by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) and the National Information Platform for Nutrition (NIPN), the meeting aimed to evaluate sector-specific annual progress reports, facilitate discussions on transforming Ethiopia's food system, and outline future strategies for food and nutrition initiatives.
(EPHI/NIPN)
