Conference abstract
The impact of the household economic strengthening intervention on malnutrition among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Tanzania
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2024:21(42).29
Apr 2024.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2024.21.42.2371
Archived on: 29 Apr 2024
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Household, economic strengthening intervention, malnutrition, orphans and vulnerable children (OVC)
Oral presentation
The impact of the household economic strengthening intervention on malnutrition among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Tanzania
Gloria Kabendela1,&, David Rwiza1, Godson Maro1, Vailet Mollel1, Mussa Ndile1, Aminiel Mongi1, Catherine Mhina1, Paschal Wilbroad2
1Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) Head Quarters-USAID Kizazi Hodari Northeastern Zone Project, Tanzania, 2USAID Tanzania-Health Office, Tanzania
&Corresponding author
Introduction: malnutrition is a significant contributor to child mortality, especially among those in lower socioeconomic positions. About 54% of deaths among children under five years old are caused by malnutrition. In Tanzania, malnutrition affects a considerable portion of children under five, with 3.5% (3.2-3.9 95% CI) suffering from moderate malnutrition and 0.4% (0.3-0.5 95% CI) from Severe malnutrition.
Methods: the USAID Kizazi Hodari Project in Tanzania implements economic strengthening interventions and conducts nutrition assessments. These interventions include agricultural support, market linkage, and income-generating activities. The nutrition assessments are carried out at the household level, specifically targeting orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) under 18.
Results: in the fiscal year 2023, 15,980 OVCs were assessed. The findings were encouraging, with 99.7% of the children not malnourished. A small percentage (0.2%) were moderately malnourished, and an even smaller percentage (0.03%) were severely malnourished. These children received support services such as HIV testing counseling and nutrition-related assistance. Importantly, the prevalence of moderate (0.2%) and severe malnutrition (0.03%) among the assessed OVC was significantly lower than the national averages, which are 3.5% (3.2-3.9 95% CI) for moderate malnutrition and 0.4% (0.3-0.5 95% CI) for severe malnutrition.
Conclusion: recognizing the contextual factors that may influence the effectiveness of household economic strengthening interventions is essential. Further research should focus on scalability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness to inform policy decisions. To effectively address malnutrition, community-based approaches should be strengthened.
The impact of the household economic strengthening intervention on malnutrition among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Tanzania
Gloria Kabendela1,&, David Rwiza1, Godson Maro1, Vailet Mollel1, Mussa Ndile1, Aminiel Mongi1, Catherine Mhina1, Paschal Wilbroad2
1Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) Head Quarters-USAID Kizazi Hodari Northeastern Zone Project, Tanzania, 2USAID Tanzania-Health Office, Tanzania
&Corresponding author
Introduction: malnutrition is a significant contributor to child mortality, especially among those in lower socioeconomic positions. About 54% of deaths among children under five years old are caused by malnutrition. In Tanzania, malnutrition affects a considerable portion of children under five, with 3.5% (3.2-3.9 95% CI) suffering from moderate malnutrition and 0.4% (0.3-0.5 95% CI) from Severe malnutrition.
Methods: the USAID Kizazi Hodari Project in Tanzania implements economic strengthening interventions and conducts nutrition assessments. These interventions include agricultural support, market linkage, and income-generating activities. The nutrition assessments are carried out at the household level, specifically targeting orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) under 18.
Results: in the fiscal year 2023, 15,980 OVCs were assessed. The findings were encouraging, with 99.7% of the children not malnourished. A small percentage (0.2%) were moderately malnourished, and an even smaller percentage (0.03%) were severely malnourished. These children received support services such as HIV testing counseling and nutrition-related assistance. Importantly, the prevalence of moderate (0.2%) and severe malnutrition (0.03%) among the assessed OVC was significantly lower than the national averages, which are 3.5% (3.2-3.9 95% CI) for moderate malnutrition and 0.4% (0.3-0.5 95% CI) for severe malnutrition.
Conclusion: recognizing the contextual factors that may influence the effectiveness of household economic strengthening interventions is essential. Further research should focus on scalability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness to inform policy decisions. To effectively address malnutrition, community-based approaches should be strengthened.
