U.S. Government Supports Improved Nutrition in Zambézia Province

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U.S. Government Supports Improved Nutrition in Zambézia Province

2:32 CAT | 23 Mar 2023

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The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), announces a five-year program to reduce malnutrition in six districts of Zambézia province. This program, named Okhokelamo ni Solho (“resilient nutrition” in Elomwe), targets chronic child malnutrition. Poor nutrition in early childhood harms development throughout life and rural Zambézia shows particularly high indicators: 45 percent of children under five years of age are stunted and 77 percent are anemic. Program activities focus on the nutrition needs of mothers, young children, and young girls, while involving community leaders and coordinating with government health facilities. As an additional support, the program will distribute nutrition-rich commodities to needy households during the rainy season, when food diversity is markedly lower. Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which hit Zambézia province in March 2023, demonstrates the need for resilient and prepared communities in the districts participating in Okhokelamo.

To maximize its impact on resilience, the activity is designed to work closely with other Zambézia-focused USAID food and nutrition-related activities as part of the Feed the Future (FTF) initiative. International NGO, Save the Children will serve as the lead implementing partner for the five-year, $75 million Okhokelamo project, with local partners based in Zambézia providing important support to project leadership, staffing and activities.

Advancing mother and child nutrition is a critical component of the broader U.S. Government assistance in Mozambique. In close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Mozambique, the U.S. Government provides more than $700 million in annual assistance to improve the quality of education and healthcare, promote economic prosperity, and support the overall development of the nation.

Source: AIM