Health and Nutrition
What we want to do:
We want all children in Rwanda to enjoy good health. We’re working towards this by:
- Increasing the number of children who are protected from disease
- Increasing the number of children who are well nourished
- Ensuring children and their caregivers have access to essential health services
What is the problem?
Insufficient food intake, recurrent illness, lack of knowledge on infant and young child feeding practices and inadequate hygiene and sanitation practices cause children to be sick, often forcing them to miss school and miss out on other activities.
How is World Vision addressing the issues?
In the same way that the roots of these problems are often multifaceted, our responses are as well. On one hand, we are working to improve families’ access to clean water and improved sanitation practices. And, on the other hand, we are equipping parents and communities to properly nourish their children and identify/address problems when they first present themselves.
Is what World Vision doing working?
Yes! Children are staying healthier because families have access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation facilities. And, because of community awareness and community health worker training, not only is the number children who face chronic malnutrition decreasing in areas where World Vision works,, children are also able to receive the health support they need more accessible.
What’s the impact?*
- 95,079 people gained access to safe drinking water (2016 and 2017)
- 125,905 people gained access to household sanitation facilities.
- 2 health centres, 3 health posts and 5 village nutrition centres built
- 1,495 children recovered from malnutrition through community-based malnutrition management programmes
- An additional 2,337 community health workers trained
- 51% more children under 5 are receiving proper care when they experience diarrhoea (47.25% in 2017 compared to 31.25% in 2013
*Numbers from 2016 and 2017