“As of March 2022, 14 million people are severely food insecure in the Horn of Africa, and acute malnutrition rates have increased considerably, affecting 5.5 million children,” according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC). Prolonged drought, short rains, flash floods, and locust invasion, among other factors, have contributed to the current state. According to Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS Net), 3.1 million people are currently estimated to be food insecure Integrated food security Phase Classification (IPC) and above, including over 360,000 people under the IPC emergency cluster.

The Malnutrition rates are expected to worsen if no immediate intervention is given. In Kenya International Christian humanitarian organization, World Vision International has embarked on ending the rates of child malnutrition through, the Baby-Friendly Community Initiative (BCFI) project which has gone a long way in improving the optimal development of children through good nutrition, which gives them a healthy start in life.

“I delivered my baby at 32 weeks 3 days with low birth weight. When I got home community health volunteers (CHV) visited me. They trained me on how to properly breastfeed and the importance of breastfeeding. They also educated me on supplementary foods for the child and the importance of maintaining hygiene. My child is doing well, I continue to take him to the clinic, and has added weight. The child is very okay,” Beneficiary.

As we come together we are capable of finding and implementing sustainable solutions to combat malnutrition and hunger.