AID grant no. 688-0247-G-00-9128-00 with World Vision Relief and Development Inc. to implement the Gao and Menaka child survival project

During the 3-year grant period, 12 new CREN"s will be constructed (6 in Gao, 6 in Menaka), including 4 with maternity wards. Targeting children aged 0-5, the CREN"s will adopt the weight- to-age/height-to-age growth monitoring protocol recommended by WHO and the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. Both nutrition and health education will be provided at the CREN"s. Educational efforts will include a strong emphasis on encouraging breastfeeding for a full 2 years after birth as well as an innovative strategy for promoting oral rehydration therapy (ORT), in which a core group of mothers at each CREN will be trained as ORT promoters and advocates. As an incentive for participation in the CREN program, the project will provide mothers with 5 kg per month per child of a Title II food supplement (cereals, non-fat dry milk, vegetable oil). In addition, CREN workers will promote the consumption of local foods rich in Vitamin A, and will distribute a Vitamin A supplement (provided by UNICEF) and iron and folic acid supplements. CREN workers will support the Ministry of Health"s Expanded Program of Immunization by providing referrals and maintaining vaccination records for all participating children. Referrals will also be provided for chloroquine therapy for malaria (although malaria is endemic in the region, chloroquine prophylaxis will not be implemented as a preventative, as this could increase chloroquine resistance). The project will also: administer medicines to control intestinal parasites, educate parents on the economic and health benefits of child spacing, train CREN supervisors and workers as needed in child survival activities, and facilitate the organization of women"s groups for productive activities such as home gardens or handicrafts. Data from the CREN"s will be collected, computerized, and analyzed in order to assess the project"s effectiveness, facilitate recordkeeping, and track the prevalence of child malnutrition. establish benchmarks, along with onsite monitoring assessments will also be conducted.