Nutrition International invests in a 5-year project to boost nutrition in Tanzania

On 21 June 2017, Nutrition International launched the $CAN 2.8M (4.7B TZS) “Right Start Initiative” in Tanzania to improve the nutritional status of the population over the next five years. The programme aims to reduce anaemia, neonatal mortality, the number of low birth weight newborns and the number of stunted children under five years old.

The five-year project will target Mwanza and Simiyu regions and aims to reach:

• over 130,000 pregnant women with World Health Organization recommended iron and folic acid supplementation,
• more than 90,000 newborns with a package of interventions at birth,
• 94,000 adolescent girls with weekly iron and folic supplementation and nutrition education and,
• 366,000 children under two years old with nutrition services.

This will be the largest programme to be implemented by Nutrition International in Tanzania since the organisation opened its country office in Dar es Salaam in September 2016. The main implementing partner is AMREF and the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre.

The Right Start Initiative, supported by the Government of Canada, launched in May 2016 and is a ground-breaking investment platform with the aim of reaching 100 million women and girls with improved nutrition by 2020. The five strategic pillars include high impact programs, partnerships, resource mobilization, technical assistance and advocacy.

This initiative is very relevant in contributing to our current national development agenda. I would therefore like to express my support and thanks to Nutrition International and the Government of Canada for bringing the Right Start Initiative in Tanzania, being among the few countries chosen in Africa. This will inevitably make a significant contribution to our country’s efforts in fighting malnutrition, but also building a strong workforce to support our national industrialization agenda.”

Honourable Ummy Mwalimu, Tanzanian Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children.

Related links

• http://allafrica.com/stories/201706220445.html
• https://www.nutritionintl.org/2017/06/nutrition-international-launches-right-start-provide-better-nutrition-women-adolescent-girls-children-tanzania/
• https://www.nutritionintl.org/2017/06/address-nutrition-international-president-ceo-launch-right-start-tanzania/
• http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/magazine/Mothers-and-babies-set-to-benefit-from-better-nutrition/1840564-3987868-95gy4bz/index.html

Right Start Tanzania is officially launched! @UMwalimu @JoelCSpicer pic.twitter.com/TibBplgFXs

— NutritionIntl (@NutritionIntl) June 21, 2017