Central African Republic – Emergency Nutrition and Protection – Action Against Hunger 2014

March 2014 – Since December 2012 all 4.6 million people living in the Central African Republic have been affected by ongoing conflict and insecurity. Over the past year fighting between armed groups and increasing vigilante violence have taken an immense toll on civilians and escalated humanitarian needs. Agricultural production has been disrupted and essential basic services such as schools and medical facilities have been shut down or destroyed in the fighting. There are widespread and increasing reports of looting extortion arbitrary arrests torture summary executions sexual violence and recruitment of children by roving bands of armed groups across the country. With DFATD’s support Action Against Hunger Canada is addressing malnutrition and psychosocial well-being among conflict-affected communities in the Central African Republic. Activities include: (1) assessing 174 000 vulnerable children under five for malnutrition; (2) treating 6 120 children under five who suffer from severe acute malnutrition; (3) treating 8000 children under five suffering from malaria; (4) training 137 medical personnel on how to manage malnutrition and treat malaria; (5) conducting awareness-raising sessions for 75 community associations on how to identify and refer cases of malnutrition; (6) training 100 community leaders on how to provide immediate psychosocial assistance; and (7) providing psychosocial assistance through group and individual counselling benefitting 12 090 conflict-affected people.

The expected immediate outcome for this project is: (1) increased access to interventions aimed at preventing identifying and treating severe acute malnutrition among children; and (2) increased services aimed at protecting the basic rights of crisis-affected groups. The expected intermediate outcome is reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.