Increasing access to critical lifesaving nutrition assistance to children under 5 years, Pregnant and Lactating Women in Bursari LGA of Yobe State ActionAid Nigeria will implement a 10 months project that focuses on improving access to critical and quality lifesaving nutrition services in Bursari LGA of Yobe State. The project will also seek to strengthen the capacities of communities to prevent and manage malnutrition among children under 5 years as well as Pregnant and Lactating Women who are mainly not benefitting from WFP food assistance programme which only covers children, pregnant and lactating women under the household reached with food assistance by the WFP founded targeted food assistance. AAN recent assessment among these population in Bursari shows a significant malnutrition challenge with a GAM rate of about 28.7%.

The project will employ proven community participatory approach for active case finding, treatment of MAM with Ready to Use Supplementary Food (RUSF), the provision of escort and follow up services for identified SAM with and without complications to Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTPs) Centers and Stabilization Centers (SC) for treatment. ActionAid Nigeria will prioritize identifying MAM for treatment at community level, identification of SAM with and without complication and facilitate their access to life-saving services for children under five years of age to enable management of these SAM cases. Through this, AAN will achieve 100% completion of referral. AAN in collaboration with Yobe State Government through Yobe State Primary Health Care Management Board will utilize the Action Meal, a locally formulated supplementary food which has proven effectiveness based on beneficiaries and stakeholders’ testimonies in the treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition at the community level. Busari currently has huge WASH gaps and hence not able to support Tom Brown approach which has been recommended by the Nutrition Sector. The proposed project will reach  children 2406  (1276 boys and 1130 girls) and 520 Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW) in Bursari Local Government Area of Yobe State. The implementation of the project will focus on supporting the most vulnerable population groups, specifically children under five years of age, caregivers of SAM children and or, caregivers of SAM children with special needs.

The project will also seek to increase access to positive nutrition Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) by deploying various proven community mobilization strategies in engaging various community groups (women, men, religious and community  leaders, youth, boys, and girls) towards building community awareness on nutrition issues. AAN shall ensure to integrate gender responsive approach in its community engagement processes. Gender sensitive information sharing to encourage discussions and address gender issues that impacts optimal IYCF. In addition, the project will raise awareness on COVID-19 mode of transmission, gender responsive and inclusive prevention strategies. The project will reach 12450 people with standardized positive nutrition messaging/sensitization

The project will strengthen accountability to the affected population through the establishment and strengthening of an inclusive, community and facility -based feedback mechanism that ensures women, girls, men, and boys are able to report concerns of the project in their communities in a safe and dignified manner. All aspects of the project will ensure gender sensitivity. AAN will ensure that all data collected are disaggregated by sex, age, disability etc.