New project launch to improve gender equality and child nutrition in Kratie
Kratie, 10th January 2025, a new project launched this week by World Vision will benefit around 3,000 children from Prek Prasab district, Kratie province.
The Realizing Gender Equality, Attitudinal Change & Transformative System in Nutrition (ReactsIn) project, funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC), was officially launched on the 8th of January at the Hor Bunny Hotel of Kratie province.
This project will be implemented by World Vision and the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, and the Ministry of Rural Development across five communes of Prek Prasab district, benefiting over 31,000 people in 25 villages by 2029. ReactsIn aims to improve nutrition, nutrition-related rights, and gender equality for the poorest and most marginalized, focusing on women, adolescent girls and children under five.
Cambodia is the fifth country to join the ReactsIn initiative, after Bangaldesh, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania bringing a unique approach to tackle child malnutrition through strengthened gender equality. Despite outstanding progress on the matter in the past decades, Cambodia still features significant levels of child malnutrition, with 22% of children displaying low height for their age (stunting), representing a gap in human development.
Dr. Asrat Tolosso, Chief of Party of the ReactsIn Project of World Vision Canada says, "Children thrive and reach their full potential when they receive care from both mothers and fathers. While mothers often bear the primary responsibility, particularly in areas like feeding, nurturing and seeking health services fathers also play a crucial role in their development as well."
Her Excellency Kham Sopheap, deputy governor of Kratie province, said during the launch of the project, “I encourage all participants in the launch of this project to pay attention to the implementation and be open to learning new things from the project to better serve our community and improve the health of children in Prek Prasab district.”
With a budget of USD $434,074 ReactsIn will directly contribute to the Royal Government’s Pentagonal Strategic Objectives 1 (Human Capital Development) and 4 (Resilient, Sustainable, and Inclusive Development), and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 5 (Gender Equality), by promoting gender equitable roles linked to nutrition, health, and sexual and reproductive health and rights at the community level, but also by strengthening service delivery and increasing stakeholders understand of gender equality locally through advocacy and policy dialogue.
A couple of months after the official launch of the ENOUGH campaign during the 11th National Nutrition Forum, ReactsIn is another testament to World Vision’s commitment to the sustainable development of Cambodia, especially in addressing malnutrition, ensuring every child has adequate, nutritious and divers food to thrive.
About World Vision
World Vision is a Christian grassroots organization operating in Cambodia for more than 50 years, and improving the well-being of the most vulnerable children and their communities. The INGO works in 20 provinces and Phnom Penh Capital, with programs spanning child protection, education, nutrition, livelihoods or climate adaptation. In 2024 alone, the agency impacted the lives of 3 million girls and boys in Cambodia.