IRC Kenya - Reducing Malnutrition in Hagadera and Kakuma camps (2011)

The nutrition situation in Kenya's refugee camps improved considerably in 2010 with global acute malnutrition rate indicators reaching their lowest rates ever – 5.6% in Hagadera and 7.6% in Kakuma. These improvements are a result of a combination of favorable factors and efforts: stable food pipeline, good seasonal rains, the availability of donor funding, the opportunity to enroll children in nutritional programs at an earlier stage due to change in nutritional standards and indicators, the consistent long-term and cooperative engagement with actors on the ground, and the successful collective response to the deteriorating nutrition situation in 2009. THE IRC, RESPONSIBLE FOR NUTRITION AND HEALTH PROGRAMMING IN KAKUMA AND HAGADERA, MADE AN INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THESE ACHIEVEMENTS. THROUGH 2009 AND 2010, THE IRC TOOK ON NEW RESPONSIBILITIES IN HADAGERA, ADAPTED NEW NUTRITION PROGRAMMING APPROACHES AND STRATEGIES, AND SECURED MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND STAFFING. THE IRC’s SUCCESSFUL NUTRITION RESPONSE IS SPEARHEADED BY AN EMPHASIS ON THE REFUGEE COMMUNITY’s ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION, EARLY DETECTION AND TIMELY ACTION, AND A FOCUS ON PREVENTION AND AWARENESS. Despite improvements, many immediate and long-term CHALLENGES remain: • There is a need for sustainable funding to maintain and improve current service levels. • More needs to be done to transform the knowledge on proper feeding and caring practices into action. • Anemia, one of the most persistent problems in the camps, remains a serious threat with immediate and long-term consequences. • Understanding and improving relations between refugees and local communities will be crucial for assuring their peaceful coexistence. • Only sustainable and durable solutions can lead to a stable and viable nutritional situation.