The Canadian and German governments have committed Sh803 million to fund two significant projects targeting malnutrition in Elgeyo Marakwet County over the next decade.
The Canadian government will support the Realizing Gender Equality, Attitudinal Change & Transformative Systems In Nutrition (REACTS IN) project, while the German government will finance the Enhancing Nutrition Services to Improve Maternal & Child Health in Africa (ENRICH) project.
These initiatives will be executed by World Vision Kenya in collaboration with other partners.
Marie Bettings from World Vision Canada emphasized that climate change and rising food costs have exacerbated malnutrition, especially among vulnerable groups like women and girls.
She stated that poor feeding practices and limited access to nutritious food adversely affect children’s education and increase their susceptibility to diseases due to low immunity.
Martha Nyang’aya from Nutrition International highlighted the persistent issue of malnutrition in the county. Despite various efforts, child stunting rates remain at 22%, underweight at 15%, and wasting at 5%.
She stressed the need for a multi-sectoral approach to address these concerns.
Nyang’aya underscored the necessity to redefine food security, noting that Kenya is one of seven African countries experiencing a rise in malnutrition, evident in stunting and micronutrient deficiencies.
She pointed out that 42% of adolescent girls suffer from iron deficiency.
She also mentioned that although over 80% of Elgeyo Marakwet County is considered food secure, this security is seasonal, tied to the harvest period.
Often, protein sources like eggs are sold rather than consumed within households to meet financial needs.
Nyang’aya lamented that 12% of iron-deficient girls become pregnant between ages 12-14 and drop out of school, worsening malnutrition and stunting.
She called for comprehensive strategies to address the development issues facing girls, advocating for the empowerment of girls to resist abuse and for the arrest of perpetrators.
She urged county governments to allocate funds for residents’ nutritional needs to ensure the sustainability of projects like ENRICH and REACTS IN beyond donor support.
Gilbert Kamanga, CEO of World Vision Kenya, stressed that gender equality is crucial in the fight against malnutrition.
He noted that male involvement is essential for families to access nutritious food but regretted that men often overlook their families’ dietary needs.
Kamanga called for sustainable school feeding programs to maintain nutritional standards both at home and in schools.
The REACTS IN project will be implemented in Marakwet East, a region struggling with food insecurity and border conflicts.
The ENRICH project will cover Keiyo North, Keiyo South, and Marakwet West sub-counties.
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