Saving lives of Crisis affected communities through provision emergency Nutrition Response Project in Abakorow, Horashagah, Koran/Mula Woredas of Shabelle, Nogob and Fafan Zones, Somali Region respectively Organization for welfare and Development in Action (OWDA) is proposing Saving lives of Crisis affected communities through provision of emergency Nutrition Response Project in Abakorow, Horashagah, Koran/Mula Woredas of Shabelle, Nogob, and Fafan Zones, Somali Region respectively

The main objective of the project is to improve access to treatment’s services to children under five years of age and pregnant and lactating women affected by acute malnutrition and to support preventive nutrition services for vulnerable populations focusing on protection, promotion, and support of adequate maternal Infant and Young Children Feeding (MIYCF) practices and contribute to reducing morbidity and mortality due to crisis-affected communities particularly children under the age of five, PLW, Elderly and people with disabilities in the project target locations.  Likewise, the project will support the current COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures to contain the spread of the virus, and prevent sexual exploitations and abuse (PSEA), and mainstream gender activities. The project will provide support to 24,669 beneficiaries by an estimated budget of $270,000. 

The proposed districts have a high admission rate of Malnutrition cases,  infrastructure gap, inaccessibility, flooding, poor communication, shortage of staff, Lack of trained nutrition staff with limited capacity to undertake the routine nutrition activities, and lack of getting proper nutrition information due to communication gap including phone calls.  The current EOS   screening finding shows that a total of 3,045 moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) of under-five children and 1,045MAM cases of pregnant and lactating women were identified in these districts alone. Similarly, the routine data of TFP of the proposed districts shows that 2,234 SAM  cases indicates that there is a high malnutrition burden associated with different underlying causes which need to be addressed Nutrition sensitive and specific interventions.

The project will mainstream and engage nutrition vulnerabilities among people living with disabilities to help them address their specific barriers, needs, and priorities. The project will ensure survey, assessment, plans, and data collection tools are disability-inclusive. Ensure those project indicators are disaggregated by disability and include disability-specific outcomes and targets where appropriate. Special attention will be given to disabled women, boys, and girls through the provision of psychological first aid, Nutrition Key messages, CMAM management, and to identify their particular needs. Provision of additional nutrition education to caretakers, IYCF-E, and encouraging mothers to breastfeed regularly for children less than 24 months of age. 

The proposed response project will support and prevent, detect and treat vulnerable communities for acute malnutrition through Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), family MUAC screening at the community level, early identification of SAM cases and referral of malnourished children, promotion of IYCF activities promotion and support, Support the treatment of SAM with/ without medical complications in children between 6-59 months in the OTP and SC sites, and Targeted Supplementary Feeding for moderately malnourished children of 6 to 59 months old and malnourished PLW. The enhanced support will deliver life-saving nutrition services Management of acute malnutrition (CMAM/IMAM program) and the promotion, protection, and support of adequate IYCF practices. 

Similarly, the project will support improving the knowledge of health care workers, health extension workers through a short session training using prevention and control measures of COVID19. support the optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergency (IYCF-E) practices for infants and young children under 24 months and support the nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and continuum of care.