Moringa oleifera: Potential as a Sustainable Therapeutic Solution for Under-nutrition

Abstract

The nutrition intervention project proposed herein is written for the rural Ugandan, East African context. This thesis first examines the Ugandan context, including general demographics, political history since independence, and the contemporary setting. Next, childhood nutrition in developing nations is discussed, followed by a consideration of health and under-nutrition within the framework of social justice. Social justice is then expanded from the perspective of environmental justice, including the impacts of climate change and poverty on the health of Ugandan children. Moringa oleifera is introduced, beginning with its historical and contemporary human uses, medicinal properties, and remarkable nutritional composition. M. oleifera is subsequently proposed as a potential therapeutic and sustainable (indigenous) solution for under-nutrition, including an analysis and discussion of the needs assessment conducted by the author in 2012 from the village of Nawanpunda, Uganda. Lastly, a description and protocol for the project proposal is outlined and augmented with additional methodological suggestions for conducting social research with participants in developing countries.