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Nutrition

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TFC_Moroto11Action Against Hunger’s nutrition programmes treat and prevent acute malnutrition in those most vulnerable, including young children and women who are pregnant or nursing. The programmes are launched most often during times of crisis: when an earthquake devastates a city, when civil war tears a country apart, when drought leads to famine, when families flee violence only to confront hunger. The context for our programmes can be as varied as the crises: from rural mountain villages, to ethnically divided cities, to the confines of overcrowded relocation camps for internally displaced persons.

Based on the unique demands of each situation, its context, and the local culture, Action Against Hunger designs a nutrition programme that will best meet the needs of the community. The core components of this programme include an evaluation of the community’s nutritional needs, the treatment and prevention of malnutrition, and technical training for local and national staff in charge of nutrition and public health. The approach is guided by a strategy of flexible response to conditions that can rapidly change. As soon as conditions allow, we work to integrate the programmes into existing public health structures to ensure the future nutritional well-being of the community.

Evaluation of nutritional needs

Understanding the root causes of a specific outbreak of malnutrition is essential to the design and implementation of an effective programme. Action Against Hunger draws on the full range of its technical expertise — in nutrition, food security, water and sanitation, and health — to conduct an analysis of the situation. In addition to baseline data on core nutritional indicators, the assessment includes information on the culture, its infrastructure, and the local geography. The resulting evaluation helps to determine the specific activities required for an effective response to the crisis.

Treatment and prevention of acute malnutrition

Drawing on more than a quarter century of experience, Action Against Hunger has developed an effective method to treat acute malnutrition that includes field-tested protocols and nutritional products backed by an international scientific advisory board. Therapeutic Feeding Centres provide round-the clock care for those most severely affected by acute malnutrition — infants, young children, pregnant and nursing women. Without proper treatment, these women and children would face imminent death. With treatment, the vast majority return to their families after 30 days.

before-after

To prevent a relapse in those recently discharged from Therapeutic Feeding Centres, and to assist those who suffer from acute malnutrition but require less intensive care, Outpatient Treatment Programmes provide treatment on a weekly basis. Our staff carefully monitor the nutritional health of the children, and dispense therapeutically formulated food that can be consumed without special preparation and easily transported to remote locations. Often mobile, these centres also help those who cannot reach the network of Therapeutic Feeding Centres. In addition to the medical and nutritional care, Action Against Hunger organises activities to encourage social interaction, strengthen family cohesion and educate caregivers on hygiene and nutrition.

Technical training and support for local staff

Even at the outbreak of a crisis, when all efforts are focused on providing treatment and saving lives, we’re already helping to strengthen and rebuild the health infrastructure. We do this from the outset by fielding a team that overwhelmingly consists of national staff members. As soon as the situation stabilises, we begin to adapt our programmes so that they can be integrated into a country’s existing public health system. When the crisis subsides and Action Against Hunger can depart, the national staff remain to continue working on behalf of their community’s nutritional health.

 

 

 

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Jobs Against Hunger

Human resources

Develops and applies the mission’s human resources policy and is responsible for all local staff management matters such as salary policies, recruitment and evaluations, etc..

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Head of mission

Positions the missions overall strategy, coordinates programme implementation, ensures continuity of finance, organizes allocation of available resources and supervises the missions staff.

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Nutrition & Health

Runs supplementary feeding centers and implementing nutrition surveys, designing nutrition programmes for supplementary or therapeutic feeding centers, managing and training national staff, collecting information on malnutrition and food security.

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Food Security

Distributes food supplies and equipment to populations in need and provides them with the resources they require to produce their own food. Provides training in modern agricultural techniques in order to boost the capacities of the populations concerned.

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Logistics

Plans, oversees and handles procurement, purchasing and supply of stock for the missions and for its own operations.. Handles the maintenance of office and transport equipment. Analyzes and monitors the security situation and security procedures. Heads of Base have the added responsibility of managing the base staff including all HR related issues.

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Finance administration

Oversees the mission’s accounts, takes care of budget administration matters, cash management and draws attention to any eventual financial risks that might materialize.

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Water & Sanitation

Ensures emergency access to safe drinking water and overall sanitation. Finds and taps underground and ground level water sources (boreholes and wells, water distribution networks).

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Coordination

Participates in drawing up the missions’ strategy, makes sure that all programmes implemented respect ACFs codes and standards and ensures the safety and security of all staff and missions assets.

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