International Development Grant

Promoting Maternal Newborn and Child Sustainable Health (PROMISE)

Project Number: CA-3-D002061001

Status: Closed

Country/Region:

Rwanda 40.00%
Ghana 35.00%
Malawi 25.00%

Maximum Contribution: $6,659,847.00

Start Date: March 31, 2016

End Date: August 31, 2021

Duration: 5.4 years

Project Description

The project aims to contribute to the reduction of maternal and child mortality in Ghana Malawi and Rwanda. Target areas in each country experience a low level of knowledge on prevention delays in seeking early treatment poor hygiene and sanitation practices traditional cultural practices and gender inequities. Overall key impediments in health delivery include low capacity of skilled workers poor infrastructure weak referral systems and lack of transport. Activities include: (1) training health workers in areas such as basic emergency obstetric and newborn care; (2) improving utilization and promotion of health services; emphasize household and community level engagement; (3) preventing illnesses and create demand for health services. These activities involve the setting up of Model Mothers Care Groups Community Conversations and mobilisations and sensitization activities improving nutrition through increased community knowledge and skills on optimal feeding improving access to nutritious foods and preventing malnutrition through community based initiatives.In Ghana the project works with the Ghana Community Ambulance project to ensure increase access of adequate medical supplies and care. It also supports development and transmission of SMS and voice messages to pregnant women and mothers. In Malawi the project strengthens early identification and integrated support for growth faltering children and community management of acute malnutrition services. In Rwanda activities include permaculture approaches to kitchen gardens water harvesting and water-saving techniques. Christian Children’s Fund of Canada works in consortium with ADRA Canada and Emmanuel International Canada. In Ghana Christian Children’s Fund of Canada works in collaboration with local partners of Christian Children’s Fund Tuma Kavi Development Association and Assemblies of God Relief and Development Services; in Malawi Emmanuel International Canada with Emmanuel International;

Expected Results

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved delivery of essential health services to mothers pregnant women newborns and children under five; (2) improved utilisation of essential health services by mothers pregnant women newborns and children under five; and (3) increased consumption of nutritious foods and supplements by mothers pregnant women newborns and children under five.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved as of the end of the project (July 2020) include: (1) an independent end of project evaluation concluded that all three intermediate outcomes were met; (2) this project reached 72 278 people exceeding the target of 52 162 direct beneficiaries (of which 42 497 women including 25 731 of reproductive age “between the ages of 15 and 19 years”) and 16 766 girls under the age of 5 years); (3) in terms of improving delivery of essential health services to mothers pregnant women newborns and children under the age of 5 years the percentage of women attending at least four antenatal care visits during pregnancy was 79% exceeding the target of 73% in Ghana and Malawi. Among newborns who received positive care practices including skin to skin contact with the mother the percentage of newborns dried and wrapped but not bathed immediately after birth was 71% exceeding a target of 50%; (4) health facilities with operational Health Management Information Systems including equipment and trained personnel reached the expected target of 100% (9 in Ghana and 6 in Malawi); (5) percentage of health workers trained in Basic Emergency Obstetric Newborn Care was 128% (105 in Ghana and 82 in Malawi) exceeding the target of 96% (79 in Ghana 82 in Malawi); (6) children between the ages of 0 and 6 months in all three countries achieved or exceeded the end of project targets of exclusive breastfeeding. Children between the ages of 6 and 23 months achieved the target of 35% in Ghana overachieved the target of 50% in Rwanda. However Malawi missed the target of 35% due to clinic closures the end of project target for both boys and girls; and (7) percentage of adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 years who can name at least three types of modern contraception was 93% for women 93% for men exceeding the targets of 80% for women and 77% for men.

Key Information

Executing Agency:
CHILDREN BELIEVE FUND

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Basic health care 65.53%
Basic health infrastructure 6.8%
Basic nutrition 16.01%
Health education 8.92%
Population policy and administrative management 0.91%
Reproductive health care 1.14%
Personnel development for population and reproductive health 0.69%

Aid Type: Project-type interventions

Collaboration: Bilateral

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Call for Proposals

Policy Markers
Level 1 Gender equality
Level 1 Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting)
Level 1 Participatory development and good governance
Level 2 Children's issues
Level 1 Youth Issues
Level 2 Nutrition
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2017-04-01 to 2018-03-31 $6,659,847 CAD
Geographic Information
462";Budget Type:Original;Start Date:2018-04-01;End Date:2019-03-31;Value Date:2016-03-31;Value:"$1
Reference ID: 499