AID cooperative agreement no. FAO-0500-A-00-3026-00 with Save the Children Foundation, Inc. (SCF) for support of `Community based integrated child survival project in Cameroon," `Strengthening community and MOH (Ministry of Health) public health capacity in Honduras" and `Empowering families to promote child survival in Malawi"

The Cameroon Field Office of SC will reduce infant and child mortality rates in Mayo Danay and Mayo Kani, the populations of which include 160,942 children under five and 116,686 women of child bearing age. SC/Cameroon will reach this goal by increasing the capacities of the health centers to provide and support child survival activities, and of village health committees to promote access to and use of the services. Key interventions will include immunizations to control acute respiratory infections (ARI), control of diarrheal diseases/oral rehydration therapy, and nutrition/Vitamin A. Maternal health interventions are currently active with OPG support. The Malawi Field Office of SC will implement a sustainable, multi-sectoral child survival project in close collaboration with the MOH and Ministry of Women and Child and Community Services in the Chilipa and Phililongwe areas of Mangochi District, the population of which includes 5,242 children under five and 8,621 women of child bearing age. SC/Malawi will empower families to address their health, education, and developmental needs, and help to strengthen local health service delivery. Key interventions will include women"s literacy (including training of village health promoters, traditional birth attendants, village health committees, and health center staff), maternal health (pre- and postnatal care and child spacing), nutrition (growth monitoring), ORT/diarrheal disease management, immunization and disease surveillance, HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria and ARI treatment and prevention, and Vitamin A distribution. The SC Association of Honduras will reduce the morbidity and mortality of children under five and women of child bearing age in barrios and rural communities in Tegucigalpa, La Esperanza, and San Lorenzo, the populations of which include 4,893 children under five and 7,603 women of child bearing age. AIDS education interventions will reach an additional 15,714 youth aged 15-30 in the city proper of San Lorenzo and La Esperanza. Activities will include strengthening community groups, training families in child protective behaviors, and strengthening the public health services of the Ministry of Public Health. The project will address maternal health/FP, diarrheal disease management, ARI, EPI, nutrition and Vitamin A, AIDS prevention, and malaria. Home visitation and usage and referrals to health centers will be increased; sustainability will be addressed through poverty lending programs, animal revolving banks to increase food production, and volunteer-run micro-health centers for sales of basic medicines.