Six counties are set to benefit from a new programme that will combat malnutrition through cash and health education in mitigating the rampant problem in the hardship regions.
Stakeholders from the six counties witnessed the launch of the Nutrition Improvement through Cash and Health Education (NICHE) programme, which is aimed at combating malnutrition.
The event took place in Isiolo County and will be rolled out in Kilifi, Kitui, Marsabit, Turkana and West Pokot counties, where pregnant women and children under the age of three years are targeted by the initiative.
Isiolo Deputy Governor Dr. James Lowasa, who presided over the programme’s inauguration, said NICHE will ensure that the most vulnerable children in intervention areas of selected counties are cushioned against the effects of drought and other triggers of malnutrition.
Selected households under the programme will receive cash transfers and nutrition health education.
Several partners have come together to implement and fund the initiatives through the Ministry of Health, National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), the World Bank, UNICEF, Council of Governors, and Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office with a view to eradicating malnutrition in the named counties.
According to Dr. Lowasa, Isiolo County could receive below-normal rains as per the recent weather forecast, which translates to the need for interventions in the current year, posing a great challenge for children and lactating mothers.
He added that there has been an improvement from the year 2022, when the global acute malnutrition was above 20 per cent but it had reduced to 15.4 and 13.7 per cent in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Dr. Lowasa made the remarks while co-chairing a special County Steering Group meeting with the Deputy County Commissioner, Mr. Christopher Siele, where the NICHE project initiative was officially launched.
“This programme is on the front line to fight malnutrition in the region and we are committed to improving the lives of our children and families,” the deputy governor said.
While representing the Principal Secretary for the state department for social protection and senior citizen affairs, Ms. Mary Gorretti said child nutrition and the overall well-being of mothers in Kenya’s Arid and Semiarid Lands (ASALS) will ensure social protection for the vulnerable groups.
The County Executive for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Lawrence Mwongela, said the county government will allocate Sh.137 million for the program.
He added that there has been the establishment of a multisectoral platform for nutrition, which has been in collaboration with the County, National government and other partners to ensure the employment of more nutritionists who offer education and capacity-building programmes and assist in carrying out the necessary surveys.
At least 51,836 households have benefitted from the programme, according to Salome Muthame, who was representing the Regional coordinator for children services in the eastern region.
A beneficiary and a Child Protection Volunteer, Janet Bahati, stated some of the impacts of the NICHE programme since its implementation in the area included reducing Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases besides tackling cases of malnutrition.
Ms. Bahati added that there was also an implementation of mother-to-mother support groups, which initiated table banking, where each of the women in the groups contributed Sh20 per week and shared the money after a period.
The women have been taught how to make kitchen gardens and how to prepare nutritious food and also make ornaments.
By Brenda Kanana and David Nduro
