PROFILE - DR. LYDIAH MARUTI WASWA

DR. LYDIAH MARUTI WASWA

OffLine

Staff Information

PERSONAL DETAILS

Designation: LECTURER
Corporate Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone Number: +254722684551
Division / Faculty: Faculty of Health Sciences
Directorate / Dept: Human Nutrition
Section: Njoro Campus
Office Extension No.: 3434
Address: P. O. BOX 536-20115, Egerton.

SUMMARY

: Dr. Lydiah Waswa is a Lecturer in the Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, Egerton University, Kenya. Dr. Waswa has a PhD in Home Economics and Nutritional Sciences from Justus Liebig University-Giessen, Germany, an MSc. in Foods, Nutrition and Dietetics and a Bachelor of Education (Home Economics) degree from Kenyatta University, Kenya. As a lecturer, she is involved in teaching and mentoring both undergraduate and postgraduate students in nutrition and related fields. She is a researcher with vast knowledge and experience in designing, coordinating and implementation of nutrition sensitive interventions aimed at alleviating all forms of malnutrition and their associated diet related non-communicable diseases. Her research interests focus on linking agriculture and nutrition for healthy diets by promoting diversified agriculture production, dietary diversity and consumption of nutritionally rich foods to overcome malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies among different population groups. She is currently a core member of the, ‘Strengthening Urban Resilience in Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya (Sure-Food) Project’, supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (2021-2024) and Principal Investigator, of the LEAP –Agri, ‘Educating and Training for Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrition in East Africa (EaTSANE Project)’, supported by the National Research Fund (NRF), (2018-2021). She was a team member in the ‘Crops for Healthy Diets – Linking Agriculture and Nutrition for a Healthy Diet (HealthyLAND Project)’,funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (2015-2018). She successfully worked as team member and Postgraduate Research Fellow on the, ‘Improving the Nutritional Health of Women and Children less than two years through Increased Utilization of Local Agro-biodiversity (INULA) in Western Kenya (INULA Project)’, (2012-2015). Dr. Waswa is also a consultant and works in close collaboration with other universities, research institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), county governments and local communities. She is a Registered Nutritionist, with the Kenya Nutritionist and Dieticians Institute (KNDI).
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6375-9071

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

Year: 2012-2015

Degree: PhD, Home Economics and Nutritional Sciences

Institution: Justus Liebig University- Giessen, Germany.

Year: 2002-2005

Degree: MSc. Foods, Nutrition and Dietetics

Institution: Kenyatta University, Kenya.

Year: 1996- 2000

Degree: Bachelor of Education (Home Economics)

Institution: Kenyatta University, Kenya.

Year: 1991-1994

Certificate: Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)

Institution: Alliance Girls High School, Kenya.

Year: 1983-1990

Certificate: Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE)

Institution: Eregi Girls Primary School, Kenya.

FIELDS OF SPECIALIZATION

Human Nutrition
Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition
Community Nutrition
Nutrition Assessment
Food and Nutrition Security
Nutrition education
Agriculture- Nutrition Sensitive Interventions

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

SHORT COURSES:

26^th -29^th January 2021: ISO 22000:2018Food Safety Management Systems Virtual Implementers Training conducted by Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBs).
12^th – 21^st October 2020: Research and Public Health Ethics Certificate Course and Practicum facilitated by the KEMRI- Scientific and Ethics Review Unit (SERU). Training organized by CBEC-KEMRI Bioethics Training Initiative
October- November 2020: Online training workshop series on “Creating Actions to Support Food Security through Diverse Media Offered by the German Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture, and Transdisciplinary and Social Research (DITSL).
June 2018: Capacity Building Training on Consultancy Services by Egerton University, Kenya, June 2018
26^th-27^th Sept. 2017: Development of Multi-disciplinary proposals and project management training workshop at CMRT, Egerton University.
November 2007: Development of Distance Learning Materials Workshop for Egerton University College of Open and Distance Learning, Egerton University, Kenya, Nov. 2007

WORK EXPERIENCE

Dec. 2016 - Date: Lecturer - Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, Egerton University.

May 2007 - Dec. 2016: Assistant Lecturer, Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences - Egerton University.

May 2005 - May 2007: District Nutrition Officer, Lugari District - Ministry of Health, Kenya.

KEY PROJECTS

June 2021: Strengthening Urban Resilience in Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya (Sure-Food) Project. Collaboration between University of Hohenheim- Germany, University of Nairobi and Egerton University-Kenya. AfResi-Call of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Proposal Accepted for Funding and Project to Commence in June 2021 - Core team member.
2018 to date: Educating and Training for Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrition in East Africa (EaTSANE Project). Collaboration between University of Hohenheim and JLU Giessen-Germany, Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT)- Netherlands, Mango Tree and Makerere University- Uganda,and Egerton University-Kenya. LEAP-Agri Project - Principal Investigator.
2015-2018: Crops for Healthy Diets – Linking Agriculture and Nutrition for a Healthy Diet (HealthyLAND Project). Collaboration between Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany, Egerton University, Kenya, Makerere University, Uganda, and Lilogwe University, Malawi. BLE Project. Project team member.
2012-2015: Improving the Nutritional Health of Women and Children less than two years through Increased Utilization of Local Agro-biodiversity (INULA) in Western Kenya (INULA Project). Bioversity International in collaboration with Justus Liebig University-Giessen, Germany. Bioversity International, Nairobi. Postgraduate Research Fellow.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

: Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), Community nutrition assessment, Agri-nutrition interventions for Improved Dietary Diversity, Food and Nutrition Security and Nutrition Education.

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS

Kretz, E., Jordan, I., Itaru, A., Glas, M.G., Fischer, S., Pircher, T., Hilger, T. and Waswa, L.M. (2021). Determinants of Children’s Fruit Intake in Teso South Sub-County, Kenya—A Multi-Phase Mixed Methods Study among Households with Children 0–8 Years of Age. Nutrients, 13, 2417. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072417
Emmaculate Kiptoo, Lydiah Maruti Waswa & Oscar Ingasia Ayuya (2021). Linking farm production to household diets: Evidence from two low potential areas in Kenya, Cogent Food & Agriculture, 7:1, 1913842, DOI: 10.1080/23311932.2021.1913842. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2021.1913842
Waswa LM, Jordan I, Krawinkel, M. B. and Keding, G. B. (2021). Seasonal Variations in Dietary Diversity and Nutrient Intakes of Women and Their Children (6–23 Months) in Western Kenya. Front. Nutr. 8:636872. https://dx.doi.org/10.3389%2Ffnut.2021.636872
Ogenche, C. S., Muliro, P. and Waswa, L. M. (2018). Milk consumption patterns of children from dairy and non-dairy households in Nakuru County, Kenya. International Journal of Nursing, Midwife and Health Related Cases, Volume.4, issue no.5, pp.1-18. https://www.eajournals.org/journals/international-journal-nursing-midwife-health-related-cases-ijnmh/vol-4-issue-5-october-2018/milk-consumption-patterns-of-children-from-dairy-and-non-dairy-households-in-nakuru-county-kenya/
Waswa, L. M., Jordan, I., Herrmann, J., Krawinkel, M.B. & Keding, G. B. (2015). Community-based educational intervention improved the diversity of complementary diets in western Kenya: results from a randomized controlled trial. Public Health Nutrition, volume 18, issue 18, pp. 3406-3419.http://journals.cambridge.org/article_S1368980015000920
Keding, G. B. & Waswa, L. M. (2015). Diversifying local diets - Nutrition Education for mothers/ caregivers improved the diversity of complementary foods of children in Western Kenya. Policy Brief. Bioversity International, 4 p.
Waswa, L. M. (2015). Improving dietary diversity and nutritional health of women and children under two years through increased utilization of local agrobiodiversity and enhanced nutrition knowledge in Kenya. PhD Thesis. Justus Liebig University-Giessen, Germany.

CONFERENCES & INVITED PRESENTATIONS

19^th -21^st May 2021: Participated in the First East African Endometriosis Conference (EAEC, 2021) held virtually and organized by the University of Nairobi and supported by DAAD. The theme of the conference was ‘Campaigning for better awareness, management and Research on endometriosis in East Africa.
20^th -24^th July 2020: Participated in the Kenya DAAD Scholars Association (KDSA) Dedan Kimathi University Chapter DAAD funded virtual training workshop on ‘Management of Internationalization’.
26^th -29^th Aug. 2019: Participated and had an oral presentation titled, ‘Dietary Diversity and Consumption of Foods from Different Food Groups among Women from Smallholder Farm Households in Kenya, Malawi and Uganda’ at the 4^thFederation of African Nutrition Societies (FANUS) Conference in Kigali-Rwanda.
22^nd– 24^th May 2019: Participated in the KDSA Technical University of Kenya (TUK) Chapter DAAD funded workshop on ‘Graduate Supervision in the 21st Century’ held at The Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi.
9^th -10^th May, 2019: Participated in the KDSA Moi University Chapter DAAD funded Training Workshop on ‘New Tools for Scientific Data Collection, Data Analytics and Quality Report Writing’ held at Sirikwa Hotel, Eldoret Kenya.
26^th Feb.-7^th March, 2018: Participated in the “Crops for Healthy Diets - Linking Agriculture and Nutrition (HealthyLAND)” project meeting and writing workshop held at University’s guesthouse in Rauischholzhausen, Landkreis Marburg-Biedenkopf and University of Giessen, Germany.
12^th -17^th Feb. 2018: Participated in the Conducting International Human-based Research GCRF Training Course held at BecA-ILRI Hub, Nairobi.
26^th-27^th Sept. 2017: Participated in the Development of Multi-disciplinary proposals and project management workshop held at CMRT, Egerton University.
25^th -27^th Jan. 2017: Participated in the Egerton University KDSA Chapter “Innovative Post- Graduate Supervision” workshop held at Milele Resort, Nakuru Town.
23^rd -24^th Nov. 2016: Attended and had an oral presentation titled, ‘Seasonal variations and the dietary diversity of mothers and their children in Western Kenya’ at the Inaugural National Nutrition Symposium organized by the Academia and Research Scaling up Nutrition Network, Kenya School of Government, Nairobi, Kenya.
16^th -21^st Sept.2016: Attended the ‘Crops for Healthy Diets- Linking Agriculture and Nutrition (HealthyLAND)’ project meeting and participated in the Tropentag 2016 Conference organized by the BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
25^th -29^th May 2015: Attended and presented a paper entitled ‘Community-based educational intervention improved the diversity of complementary diets in Western Kenya: results from a randomized control trial’ during the 3rd Federation of African Nutrition Societies (FANUS) Conference, AICC, Arusha, Tanzania.
3^rd -6^th March 2015: Participated and had an oral presentation entitled ‘Maternal Diets in Western Kenya’ at the 2nd International Congress Hidden Hunger, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
17^th-19^th Sept.2014: Attended and poster presentation on, ‘Household Food Security and Dietary Diversity in Different Agro- ecological Zones in Western Kenya’. Tropentag 2014- International Research on Food Security, Natural Resource Management and Rural Development. Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic.
25^th -29^th July 2014: Attended and presented a poster entitled, ‘Seasonal variations in women’s dietary diversity scores and relationship with nutritional status in Western Kenya’. The 6^thAfrica Nutritional Epidemiology Conference(ANEC VI) held at GIMPA, Accra Ghana.
24^th -27^th Aug. 2014: Invited speaker and had an oral presentation entitled, ‘Breastfeeding as a family issue: The role of fathers, grandmothers and other family members’. Poster presentation entitled, ‘Nutritional status, dietary diversity and morbidity among infants and children aged 6-23 months in rural Western Kenya’. The 10th International Congress of Tropical Paediatrics (ICTP) held at the KICC Nairobi, Kenya.
12^th -14^th Mar. 2014: Participated and had an oral presentation, ‘The role of nutrition education in improving knowledge of caregivers and diversity of complementary foods in Western Kenya’ during the 51 Wissenschaftlicher Kogress der Deutschen Gesellschaft fuer Ernahrung (DGE) e. V- (The German Nutrition Society) at Paderborn University.
17^th -19^th Sept. 2013: Participated and had an oral presentation entitled, Linking agriculture and nutrition: Dietary diversity of women and children in different agro-ecological zones of Western Kenya during the Tropentag 2013 Conference, Stuttgart- Hohenheim, Germany.

HONORS, PRIZE AND AWARDS

2012: Bioversity International PhD Research Fellowship for PhD studies at Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany. Sponsor: GIZ.

2011: DAAD/NCST Scholarship for PhD studies in Nutritional Sciences at the Justus-Liebig –University, Giessen-Germany.

2011: MASHAV Scholarship to attend the Nutrition in a Changing Global Environment Training and Capacity Building Course at The Hebrew University.

2002: Kenyatta University Partial Scholarship for Master’s Program

TEACHING AREAS

Undergraduate

FOND 121: Principles of Human Nutrition

FOND 222: Macronutrients

FOND 223: Micronutrients

FOND 232: Nutrition Education and Counselling

FOND 341: Research Methods

FOND 325: Community Nutrition Assessment

FOND 328: Nutrition Assessment

FOND: Research Projects

FOND 444: World Food Problems and Food Security

FOND 448: Food and Nutrition Extension Outreach

POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISION

MASTERS LEVEL :

Successfully Supervised the following Masters Students

Catherine Sarange Ogenche: (HM18/3688/13). Milk Consumption Patterns and Nutritional Status of Children (24-59 Months) From Dairy and Non-Dairy Households in Nakuru County, Kenya. (Graduated in December 2018).

Emmaculate Jepchumba Kiptoo: (KM15/14188/15). Role of Farm Enterprise Diversity on Diet Quality among Small-Scale Farmers Households in Makueni and Nyando Sub-Counties, Kenya. (Defended, to Graduate in June 2021).

On-Going Masters Supervision:

Mary Muroki: (KM16/13596/19). Assessing the Potential of Iron and Zinc Biofortified Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris) Varieties as a Vehicle for Improving Nutrition in Burundi.

Annet Itaru: (PHM/G/08/15). An Assessment of Factors Influencing Consumption of Sun-Dried Vegetables among Households in Teso South Sub-County, Kenya.

PhD. LEVEL :

On-going PhD Supervision

Rosemary Jepkosgei Cheboswony: (HD18/40003/16): The Influence of Sweetpotato Leaves Consumption on Iron Status Among Women of Reproductive Age in Chepalungu Sub-County, Bomet County, Kenya: - Intervention Study.

OTHER SOCIETIES

1. Registered nutritionist and member of the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI).

2. Registered member of the African Nutrition Society (ANS).

REFEREES

Dr. Stellamaris Muthoka

Egerton University

Chair, Department of Human Nutrition

P.O. Box 536,

Egerton, Kenya.

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Prof. Simon Mahungu,

Egerton University

Department of Dairy, Food Science and Technology

P.O. Box 536,

Egerton, Kenya.

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Prof. Prof. Samuel M. Mwonga

Associate Professor

Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils

Egerton University

P.O. Box 536 - 20115

Egerton, Kenya.

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