Project profile — Maziko: Nutrition Foundations for Women and Children

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) improved delivery of nutrition services to pregnant and lactating women and children (under five) in target districts in Malawi; (2) improved local enabling environment to sustain nutrition outcomes within target districts; and (3) increased women's economic and social empowerment in target districts of Malawi.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2015) include: (1) 154 health surveillance assistants, 248 community promoters, 438 lead farmers, and 7,442 lead persons trained in community mobilization, maternal nutrition, optimal breastfeeding, complementary feeding, hygiene and sanitation, community management of childhood illness, dietary diversity, nutrition-rich food production, and food processing and preparation; (2) 48,922 beneficiaries reached with nutrition promotion activities through care group meetings, household cluster meetings, group cooking demonstrations, community sensitization sessions, field demonstrations, and home counselling visits; (3) 8,233 traditional leaders sensitized to nutrition-related issues; (4) seeds for 36,250 fruit trees and high-nutrient, locally available legumes distributed to 14,870 households for the establishment of backyard gardens; (5) 150 village water points renovated; (6) improved toilet facilities constructed at 13,241 households; (7) local hygiene and sanitation plans drawn up by 276 communities; (8) 89 villages declared "open defecation free" by the Government of Malawi and UNICEF; and (9) 2,334 village savings and loans (VSL) groups established and trained in VSL methodology (and 574 existing VSL groups also trained) reaching 24,662 participants (mostly women).