In a joint effort to sustain the gains made in the fight against malnutrition for children under age of five in Karongi District, a team comprising African Evangelistic Enterprise Rwanda, World Vision International Rwanda, Local Leaders, and Health Staff conducted a field visit in Gishyita Sector, Umucyo Area Program. The purpose of this activity was to observe and reinforce the adoption of positive nutrition and hygiene practices by caregivers who had participated in 12 consecutive days of Positive Deviance/Hearth (PDH) rehabilitation sessions, which commenced on January 27^th, 2025 to 7^th February 2025, a total of 10,776 children have completed 12 days of Hearth Sessions and 82% of the children attended have gained adequate weight for the whole District, with regard to Gishyita Sector, the Sector has 638 children who attended Hearth Sessions with 94% of them have gained adequate weight, making the sector among the best performing sectors within the District.

The visit aimed to assess how well caregivers had implemented the practices at home, with a focus on child feeding, hygiene, and home-based food production. During the visit, it was evident that caregivers had embraced the lessons learned; many had established kitchen gardens to support dietary diversity and are able to prepare age-appropriate meals for their children. As a result, many children previously identified as malnourished are now showing normal nutrition status, as confirmed by routine monthly growth monitoring at the village level. The Local Leaders and Health Staff expressed appreciation for the PDH model, recognizing its effectiveness in addressing malnutrition sustainably through community-based behavior change. This monitoring visit not only confirmed the successful transfer of knowledge and practices but also strengthened community ownership and accountability in promoting child nutrition.

The community faced challenges such as limited access to diverse food items and some resistant households for attending hearth sessions, which hinder consistent practices. However, the experience demonstrated that with the right knowledge, local resources, and commitment, malnutrition can be significantly reduced. To sustain progress, continued mentorship and follow-up by health staff and local leaders is essential, alongside targeted support for resistant households to encourage participation. Strengthening community sensitization, promoting peer learning among caregivers, and improving access to diverse food through local initiatives like kitchen gardening and small livestock rearing will help address remaining challenges and reinforce long-term behavior change.