Development and Peace – Caritas Canada is partnering with Trócaire to implement a supplemental-nutrition project for acutely malnourished children under 5 years as well as pregnant and lactating women in South Kordofan State, Sudan.
Following the outbreak of civil war in April 2023, 25.6 million people are projected to face acute hunger (IPC3+) from June 2024 to September 2024, an increase of over 50 percent since June 2023. Internally displaced people (IDP), who now account for 24% of the local population, are facing higher levels of food insecurity and disease, as well as greater demand for water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH), health, and nutrition services. Food insecurity has also been exacerbated by the poor harvest in the last farming season following poor rainfall and locust invasion, as well as conflicts in neighbouring regions, resulting in shortages of the staple-food sorghum in local markets.
Since April 2023, there has been an increase in the prevalence of acute malnutrition cases in communities and IDP camps, including reports of malnourished children and outbreaks of diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia. As of March 2024, there were 9,893 children in Trócaire’s nutrition program, of whom 2,464 had Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and 7,429 were moderately malnourished (MAM). There were also 425 moderately malnourished (MAM) pregnant and lactating women under rehabilitation.
This project will provide 14 health facilities, three stabilization centres and their catchment villages with nutrition supplies (i.e., Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), Ready-to-use Supplementary Food (RUSF), therapeutic milks (F75 and F100)), to support their Outpatient Therapeutic Program, Targeted Supplementary Program (TSFP) and Stabilization Centers (SC).
The project aims to reach 8,797 individuals in 6,767 households. In addition, 78,850 children will be provided with vitamin A supplements.