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Southern African Nutrition Initiative (SANI)

Nutrition

CARE aims to reach over 575,000 people through this project in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, contributing to the reduction of under-nutrition in women and children.

Background

Malnutrition affects every stage of life and has severe consequences that can impact families and communities for generations. Malnourished women are more likely to die in childbirth and have babies with low birth weights. And their babies are more vulnerable to disease and death.

Because of widespread malnutrition, Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique continue to have some of the highest child mortality rates in the world. Under-nourishment during the first critical years of life reduces a child’s chance of survival and directly affects brain development. Chronically malnourished children suffer lifelong consequences in cognitive ability, school performance, and future earnings, limiting the development potential of nations. Addressing malnutrition now could bring economic benefits over 100 times as large as the cost of interventions.

A woman smiles at her baby, who is smiling with his mouth wide open.
Field visits to the Dowa district in Malawi.

Intervention

Malnutrition and its devastating consequences can be prevented. CARE’s Southern African Nutrition Initiative (SANI) gives women, families, and health providers the tools they need to end malnutrition in children under 5 and in pregnant and nursing women.

SANI is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada. The Vancouver and Calgary Councils for CARE Canada are also engaging their communities to raise funds for SANI.

SANI will help achieve lasting change in the lives of program participants by:

  • Individual and group nutrition counseling for women and men.
  • Training health care workers to provide nutrition education for pregnant and nursing women and their families as well as children under 5.
  • Providing therapeutic feeding to severely malnourished children.
  • Supporting community and backyard gardens by providing seeds, tools, equipment, and training to produce a healthy and diverse range of food for families.
  • Building wells and water systems in collaboration with community members to ensure safe access to clean drinking water.
  • Empowering women and expanding their economic opportunities through Village Savings and Loan Associations, which strengthen women’s economic status and autonomy and their ability to generate an income.
  • Improving access to nutrition and psycho-social support for mothers and families living with HIV and AIDS.