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Our Activities in Niger (AMURT International) AMURT supports more than 18,000 children in Niger
In cooperation with UNICEF and WFP, AMURT has distributed food to over 8,000 children. One month after the first distribution took place, AMURT entered into partnership with UNICEF and WFP to establish food distribution centres for malnourished and severely malnourished children in the District of Bouza, the poorest district in the country. AMURT is the only International Non-Governmental Organisation working in development and food security in the region. At present, AMURT runs 21 food distribution centres and supports more than 18,000 children in four counties of Bouza: Tama, Karofane, Bouza and Angoua Dagna. Activities AMURT is implementing three main programmes: A) Nutrition through food distribution centres for malnourished and severely malnourished children B) Awareness creation on Hygiene, Water and Sanitation by using the Information/Education/Communication approach (I/E/C) C) Food security Programs A. Nutrition Programmes through CRENAS and CRENAM
In line with the organisation’s partnership agreement formed with UNICEF and WFP, AMURT has been taking care of more than 15,000 infants over the past 16 months in Niger. In 2007, the organisation is expected to assist approximately 8,500 malnourished children. The intervention has been working as follows. First, we screen the children to identify the severely malnourished from the moderately malnourished. After completion of the screening activities, we proceed to the distribution of therapeutic food and regular follow-up to measure the impact of feeding. In an attempt to deal with chronic malnutrition, WFP, UNICEF and interested NGOs developed a special programme labelled ‘Blanket Feeding‘. The programme consists in distributing therapeutic food to the most vulnerable children aged between 6-36 months, regardless of their nutritional status. This operation takes place during the dry season when the harvest is no longer sufficient to provide food. AMURT was one of five NGOs to participate in this life-saving operation. Thanks to this supplementary feeding we were able to provide nutrition to over 12,000 children. B. Increasing Awareness on Hygiene, Water and Sanitation In order to promote good practices on hygiene, water and sanitation, AMURT organises instructional sessions for mothers in the Niger villages. Breastfeeding, hygiene and sanitation issues are of primary importance in the lessons. The training sessions are an opportunity to build up the capacities and abilities of the women leaders who have been elected by their peers. These meetings are repeated to other groups and clusters of mothers in different locations. The use of gender conscious and development approaches is used to equip women with new Knowledge and Attitudes to change their Practices (KAP).
C. Food Security
Our multidisciplinary team (Sociologists, Engineers, Nutritionists and Educationists) developed a strategy that would allow landless women, a large majority in the region, to cultivate parts of vast unused land held by landowners under a mutually convenient understanding. This is the first strategy of its kind in the country and the initial results have been very promising. In 2007, AMURT is planning to expand the food security programme. Depending on funding availability, AMURT will also build wells and erect irrigation systems for intensified crop cultivation. |
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