CHILDREN BELIEVE FUND

Published purpose

This project aims to improve maternal, newborn and child health in three remote and underserved districts in Ethiopia: Damot Pulasa, Arsi Negele and Adaa. In order to address the high rates of mortality in these areas, the project focuses on addressing existing gaps in the health systems, and problems related to the prevalence of killer diseases and malnutrition. Reaching around 120,000 women, newborns and children, project activities include: training health workers and traditional birth attendants on safe, clean delivery, nutrition and improved child-feeding practices, and emergency obstetric care; distributing medical equipment for health centres; establishing neonatal care units; and education on sanitation and hygiene, and malaria prevention. The project also aims to train mothers in home-based management of common childhood illnesses. Using a community-based approach the project is expected to lead to behaviour changes, which are expected to have a positive impact on maternal, newborn and child health in the targeted regions. To implement this project, the Christian Children’s Fund of Canada is working in partnership with : Bole Bible Baptist Church Child Care and Community Development, Ratson-Women, the Youth and Children Development Program, and the Wolaitta Kale Heywot Church Terepeza Development Association. This project is part of Canada's Maternal, Newborn and Child Health commitment. The maximum CIDA contribution to this project includes $10,000 for monitoring purposes.