12,000 malnourished children recovered under the closed USAID-Gikuriro program

By Elias Hakizimana.

At least 12,000 under five year old children who were malnourished and at risk of being malnourished were rehabilitated from this status along with the 5-year nutrition and WASH Program-Gikuriro.

The project that invested $24 million was implemented by Catholic Relief Service (CRS) from 2015-2020. It involved various partners including the Government of Rwanda, Netherlands Development Organizations (SNV), and six Rwandan civil society organizations namely CARTAS, AEE, FXB, DUHAMIC, YWCA, and FVA.

The project had the overall goal of improving outcomes in nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) through capacity building and implementation of the Government of Rwanda’s Community-Based Food and Nutrition Program and Community-Based Environmental Health Promotion Program (CBEHPP).

It also aimed to improve the nutritional status of women of reproductive age and children less than five years of age, focusing on the first 1,000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday.

Gikuriro project further improved hygiene and sanitation practices for 570,000 households and increased access to clean water for over 345,000 Rwandans in eight districts.

In line with preventing malnutrition, 50,000 families were supported by the program to improve agricultural productivity, promote savings, and increase household food consumption among others.

Reducing acute malnutrition

Speaking during the phase-out event of Gikuriro program in Kigali on October 28, 2020, Dr Yvone Umurungi, Gikuriro project Deputy Chief of Party said that they are leaving behind an improved nutrition status for less than five years old children.

“Gikuriro rehabilitated between 12,000and 15,000 children who were malnourished and even more who were at risk of malnutrition, if they are rehabilitated today, they will grow well as the name gikuriro says, they will have mental and psycho-social growth, this is the future of Rwanda.”

She added that another achievement is that the project left communities which have capacity in terms of self-reliance and ability to rehabilitate the children from malnutrition without using any outside resources as these communities were taught how to rehabilitate children using their own foods and adding some food from the market using the money they saved through their groups.

“The integrated approach we use to be able to be able to fight malnutrition is a strong legacy within our communities.” Umurungi added.

In terms of hygiene and sanitation, the project constructed various infrastructure including latrines to 6,000 households, hand washing facilities and knowledge on how to keep hygiene in their compounds. They also got bowel holes, water kiosks; water springs to ensure access to water.

Local authorities remain with the assignment to sustain the activities left by Gikuriro project after the handover at every district of its working areas.

Leslie Marbury, USAID Mission Director in Rwanda said that they are planning to work with many districts in Rwanda to improve the access to nutritious foods, the availability of foods and utilization of foods.  

“Over the next five years, we have a significant investment in nutrition and in water and sanitation.” She said.

Dr Anita Asimwe, Coordinator of the National Early Childhood Development Program (NECDP) said that the program reached the overall goals and left significant achievements.

“Gikuriro project that we are closing that has come to the end of five years today has contributed to the efforts the Government of Rwanda has put in place to ensure a quick reduction of malnutrition among the children under five. This project has been operating in 8 districts and a number of results show us changes in the livelihoods of children in the villages,” Anita said.

She noted that these achievements will be sustained through the approach of existing mechanisms. A number of ministries have a role to play in the betterment of the livelihoods of a young child, they work with us as the National Early Childhood Development Program, but importantly they work with decentralized levels, from the villages to the districts’ authorities. As we move forward, the national budget to respond to nutrition continues to increase year by year.” She noted.

Alemayehu Gebremariam, Chief of Party of Gikuriro Program reiterated that the project’s implementations will be sustained in partnership with the government. “We want to ascertain how CRS will continue its commitment in Rwanda to fight malnutrition.” He noted.

 Beneficiaries speak out

Liberatha Mukarurinda, 64, is a beneficiary from Ubumanzi village, Kinyange Cell, Gitega sector in Nyarugenge district. She said that the project trained them how to plant vegetables in their households using available domestic materials such as old basins, buckets and pieces of jerry cans.

“We planted vegetables of various kinds and they helped us a lot during the lockdown period, so, this helped us to fight malnutrition.” she said.

Bertilde Musabyimana is another beneficiary who trains parents how, what and when to feed children after herself was trained by Gikuriro program. She uses a watch to keep reminding parents when to feed children. “This watch helps us to know when to feed children and what diet to give them, as it rings, a parent knows what to do within the appropriate time.” She said.