Food for the Hungry – Kenya started its work in Kenya in 1976 with emergency relief program. In the early 1980s, FH/K began its first child development centre in Marsabit with less than 100 children.  Since then the organization has spread its operation working in five different programs namely, 1) Child Development; 2)Health & Nutrition; 3)Water, Hygiene & Sanitation; 4)Pastoralist livelihood and 5)HIV &AIDS in Marsabit, Meru,  Isiolo, Nairobi and kirinyaga Counties. FHK as an organisation has a track record of strong collaborative and partnership with donor community, NGOs and key government departments in the 5 Counties. More importantly, FHK has built strong and good rapport with the local communities from which it has earned respect and appreciation.

Food for Hungry Kenya has been playing a role of the leading agency in the provision of an integrated health and nutrition program in Marsabit County.  In the last 3 years, with support from UNICEF, FHK has successfully rolled out a high impact nutrition intervention package under the project title ‘’Support the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation (MoPHS) and Ministry of Medical Services (MoMS) to improve quality and sustain coverage of high impact nutrition interventions at health facility and community level of Central, Northhorr, Loiyangalani and Laisamis Districts of Marsabit County’’. FHK has used a multi-sectoral participatory approach that brings in synergies by engaging several other stakeholders to achieve the overall program goal. The DNO is supported to coordinates the interaction amongst departments of health, livestock, water and sanitation, Arid lands and others. The MOPHS is also one of the key players with the responsibility of establishing linkages and soliciting support needed from all the government departments and government structures. The program has thus provided holistic support to its beneficiaries at the same time establishing linkages that enhance efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability and more impact of the program.

Currently, still through the support of UNICEF, FHK is implementing HiNi project that began in July 2012 to December 2013 and covers four districts namely: Marsabit central, North Horr, Laisamis and Loiyangalani in Marsabit County with a total population of 169,940 persons and an estimated children under-five and pregnant and lactating mothers population of 33,988 and 13,595 respectively.

The programs main goal is to contribute towards reduction in morbidity and mortality associated with malnutrition in children below five years, pregnant and lactating mothers in the County of Marsabit.

To contribute towards reduction in Morbidity and mortality associated with malnutrition in children below five years, pregnant and lactating mothers in Marsabit County.

Specific objectives:

  1. To improve quality and sustain coverage of high impact nutrition interventions in 100% of the health facility and at the community level.
  2. To support DHMT to strengthen and operationalize coordination mechanisms and Reporting systems at the District level and further Strengthen districts documentation mechanisms and use of nutrition information for decision-making.
  3. To improve district response systems through support to county contingency planning and strengthening Nutrition surveillance.

In attempt to strengthened capacity of health facilities and communities to provide high impact nutrition interventions FHK aims to ensure that:

  1. 100% (28) of health facilities have adequate capacity to offer high impact nutrition intervention with minimal support by the end of the PCA period.
  2. At least 80% (5,978) of Malnourished cases receive quality treatment at the health facility.
  3. At least 75% (5,604) of acutely malnourished children receiving treatment are recovered.
  4. At least 80% (24,000) of children below five years receives vitamin A supplementation twice yearly.
  5. At least 80% (16500) of children 2-5 years receive deworming treatment twice yearly.
  6. At least 80% coverage for iron and folic acid supplementation for pregnant women attending ANC.
  7. At least 80% of children supplemented with Zinc during diarrhoea episodes.
  8. At least 80% of the health facilities have a functioning mother to mother support group.
  9. Improved breastfeeding rate from 65.6% to 75%.
  10. At least 60% of the Households practice hand washing at critical times.

In the organisation’s attempt to strengthened coordination mechanisms, Monitoring and reporting of key nutrition indicators the program ensures:

  1. At least one nutrition coordination meeting held monthly with at least 80% of action points from coordination meetings followed and implemented, Improved linkages of nutrition activities to other livelihood programs and WASH.
  2. At least 80% of the health facilities providing timely and quality facility monthly nutrition reports through the District health information systems (DHIS).
  3. Improved documentation and management of Nutrition information at the district Level for use in advocacy and sharing best practices.
  4. Coordinate Quarterly Joint supervision visits, and facility in charges meeting.

To strengthen nutrition surveillance at the district level, FHK aims to achieve:

  1. At least one County contingency plan developed and reviewed every dry spell.
  2. At least one nutrition survey conducted annually.
  3. Continuous surveillance of the nutrition status through NDMA bulletins and monthly reports.

The program’s Target Beneficiaries include:

  1. Health facilities in the targeted districts: Marsabit Central, Laisamis, Loiyangalani and NorthHorr.
  2. Children< 5 years of age, pregnant and lactating mothers.
  3. Mother-to-Mother support group in each facility.
  4. Community health workers.
  5. All health care staff involved in nutrition and WASH activities in the four targeted districts.

The collaborative aspect of the work has brought great improvement in Health and Nutrition status of the target beneficiaries as evident by the figure below that shows GAM rates trend over five years in Marsabit.

From the above data it is evident that the overall GAM rates for the district continue to decline

Dominic Dallacha

Nutrition and Health Manager, FH Kenya

Tel: +254 (0)720 932 262

Email:ddallacha@fh.org

Partner Email:

ddallacha@fh.org

Partner Telephone: 

+254 (0)720 932 262

Partner Website: 

http://www.fh.org