After obtaining additional funding from the Monegasque Cooperation, alongside its actions focusing on prevention of under-nutrition in Niger and Madagascar, GRET added activities to fight against Covid-19.
In Niger, together with local health authorities and with various development and humanitarian stakeholders working in the field, GRET’s teams are planning to relay and strengthen dissemination of official State messages to prevent the spread of Covid-19 via radio shows and clips. The latter, organised with health professionals, will provide an opportunity for communities to express themselves and for preconceived ideas circulating about the coronavirus to be addressed. Distribution of hygiene kits is underway in 77 health centres located in the Pafan and Fopat projects’ zones of intervention, vulnerable territories that are already highly impacted by the health crisis. 10 units producing fortified infant flours were also equipped with hygiene kits, as were 640 vulnerable households in two neighbourhoods in Niamey.
In Madagascar, awareness-raising on prevention of Covid-19 in communities is aimed at the most vulnerable households in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in large urban areas, which are particularly affected by the slowdown of the economy and containment measures. The action, conducted jointly by GRET and the Nutri’zaza social business, complements the Malagasy government’s initiatives and contributes to minimizing the spread of the virus and mitigating the nutritional impact of the crisis.
Door-to-door outreach to households aims to talk to families about the coronavirus, foster the use of barrier gestures and mitigate rumours circulating in neighbourhoods. Pregnant and breastfeeding women and their husbands are particularly targeted by this activity, providing specific advice recommended by the health authorities and based on international recommendations. As well as advice, families receive soaps and posters explaining best hand-washing practices. In addition, the Koba Aina porridge that is already sold door-to-door in these neighbourhoods is being offered at a subsidised price for one month, enabling vulnerable families to continue to have access to this quality food.
