In Burundi, one in two children doesn’t get enough food and nutrients to survive and grow up healthy. The first 1,000 days are crucial for a child’s development. UNICEF is there on the ground, providing therapeutic food and medical assistance to mothers and children.
The situation
Burundi, a landlocked country in East Africa with a population of 13.6 million, is one of the world’s poorest countries. Recurring floods are having negative impacts on agriculture and exacerbating the country’s already precarious food situation.
Circumstances for newborns and children under two years are especially devastating given that the first 1,000 days, from the beginning of pregnancy until the age of two, are critical for a child’s development. But more than half of Burundi’s children do not have access to nutritious food in sufficient quantities. This has resulted in severe developmental problems. The country is also lacking in health services for mothers and children: it needs medical supplies, clean medical facilities and doctors who specialize in child and maternal health. This has increased infant morbidity and mortality rates enormously.
How your donation helps
UNICEF uses the proceeds of “Star Weeks 2024” to improve healthcare for mothers, infants and young children in Burundi. These measures include
- training for health workers
- outfitting neonatal stations with medical equipment
- providing micronutrient powders
- upgrading water and sanitation infrastructure in healthcare facilities
- providing families with safe drinking water
- providing families with information about healthy nutrition and hygiene