EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The year 2013 has been a very exciting year for the nutrition services environment in Tanzania, and in particular, for COUNSENUTH. As part of the Centre’s efforts to continue growth and quality of its services, numerous opportunities and initiatives progressed in keeping with its commitment to improve the quality of life for vulnerable groups through evidence based, cost effective and locally grown innovative nutrition activities. COUNSENUTH’s efforts have been further enhanced by the Strategic Plan established in 2012 to run through 2016.
Despite some financial challenge, COUNSENUTH was able to successfully complete over 90% of its input targets in 2013. Being aligned to the National Nutrition Strategy (2011 – 2016), COUNSENUTH’s 5 year Strategic Plan continued to guide the activities of the organization, including its key role in the Mwanzo Bora Nutrition Programme and Lishe Ruvuma Nutrition Programmes.
Overall, COUNSENUTH resources and activities focused on the following main project areas in 2013:
Mwanzo Bora Nutrition Programme (MBNP), Dodoma, Manyara, Morogoro and Zanzibar
This is a five year (2012-2016) nutrition programme funded by USAID and implemented in Dodoma, Manyara, Morogoro and Zanzibar by four Consortium Partners: Africare, COUNSENUTH, The Manoff Group and Deloitte. COUNSENUTH’s role is to coordinate and implement the nutrition component, a workload of over USD 2 million worth of activities a year, funded directly from Africare, the Prime Partner. The programme aims at reducing childhood stunting and maternal anaemia. Among strategies applied are: increasing investment and creating agri-nutrition linkages, improved food diversity for women and children, improved use of social behaviour change communication multimedia to achieve rapid behaviour change, improved provider performance, quality and scope of nutrition and health services, institutional strengthening and enhanced documentation of evidence based knowledge.
By 2013, the coverage had reached 10 of the 20 project districts. In 2013 COUNSENUTH developed a variety of tools and materials for the delivery of the Programme. The targets for training/orientation and support supervision had achievement rates surpassing 100%
COUNSENUTH mentored 428 health staff in 187 health facilities on strategies for reducing maternal anemia and childhood stunting, oriented 675 community workers, 896 community leaders, 321 Home Based Care providers (HBCs), 306 extension workers, 106 district nutrition facilitators, 510 community members and 698 other individuals including farmer groups. The Centre also formed 1,721 peer support groups to enhance community support for families on nutrition; reached 257,051 women and 279,642 children under 5; with various nutrition interventions including 275,331 children 6-58 months with Vitamin A. The Programme has presence in 366 villages in the two years of implementation, achieving Programme targets ranging from 84% to 128% in various target input Programme indicators.
