In most developing countries, lack of proper nutritional care during pregnancy and childbirth has lead to poor health leading to numerous problems during child development. Proper nutrition is of great significance in fighting health related diseases and reducing poverty.
The link between proper nutrition and good health has become an area of importance for many health development partners including AMREF.
In this regard, AMREF and Fintrac signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on May 17, 2013 to undertake agri-nutrition, youth and gender integration in the Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Project (KHCP).
Funded by USAID, the contract covers 16 counties in Kenya and is expected to run for a period of 15 months at a total cost of US$ 620,954.
During the signing of the partnership deal, AMREF Kenya Country Director Dr Lennie Bazira Kyomuhangi said that AMREF’s scope of work within the partnership is towards addressing nutrition related health issues. Kenya’s under-nutrition rates are particularly high due to poor maternal micronutrient status and consequent low birth weight (LBW), poor infant feeding practices, lack of access to adequate water and sanitation and safe hygiene practices.
To address this, AMREF focuses on fighting disease, reducing maternal and child mortality by providing interventions to improve health through nutritional education. This is done by empowering families and communities with information on the importance of good nutrition. In the USAID-KHCP, this will be carried out through AMREF trained Community Health Workers to various households besides their other health related functions.
AMREF is also engaged in the provision of clean drinking water and proper hygiene that is paramount to good health.
The goal of USAID-KHCP is to increase household incomes and generate employment from the growth of a highly competitive horticulture sector. The project works with private sector and nongovernmental organization (NGO) entities to create sustainable markets that are critical for promoting horticulture, competiveness, business development, investment and sales.
In this collaboration, AMREF will coordinate and implement agri-nutrition activities in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, USAID-KHCP partners and other stakeholders to implement the activities and attain sustainability.
Also present during the signing included Fintrac Senior Capacity Building Manager Naomi Mwangi, AMREF Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Programme George Kimathi and a team from AMREF.
AMREF is a transparent organisation distributing funds of up to $85 million per year.
