Tre mesi di sostegno alle attività del Centro Ard El Insan di Khan Younis (sud della striscia di Gaza) per bambini sottonutriti e malati di anemia

Un futuro per Gaza

Campagna di sostegno diretto alla popolazione di Gaza
e di iniziative per la fine dell'assedio

الحياة لأطفال فلسطين
Vita per i bambini palestinesi

CONCEPT PAPER

• Nome progetto: Aiuti alimentari terapeutici per i bambini malnutriti nella zona sud della striscia di Gaza
• Realizzato dall’AEI (Ard El Insan Palestinian Benevolent Association)
• Presentato a:
• Durata del Progetto: tre mesi (1 novembre 2008 – 31 gennaio 2009)
• Luogo di realizzazione: zona sud della striscia di Gaza ( Khan-Yunis, Middle Camps, Rafah)
• Budget totale del progetto: 15,000 €

Ard El Insan Palestinian Benevolent Association, Gaza Strip
Gaza, Elnaser Street, P.O.Box 1099
Tel: (00970) 8 2868 138, Fax : (00970) 8 2842 616, Mobile: 00972 599 412 759
Website: http://www.ardelinsan.org/  
Contact person: I'tedal El Khatib. Ard El Insan's Executive Director

1-Introduction:
Ard El Insan "as one of the leading Palestinian NGO in children health and nutrition" contributes in the improving of malnourished children less than five years through providing curative and preventive services to underweight malnourished children. It is a well known body for many local and international health organizations that have been achieved through its accumulated experience in child health and nutrition and its contribution in preparing the National Nutritional Plan, Child Nutrition Protocol and conducting many researches and studies.

2- Context
More than one year of full closure of the Gaza Strip has endangered the entire population of the Gaza Strip. The restrictions on imports combined with the total embargo on exports have forced several local industries and shops to closed; more people fell under the poverty line. The flow of commodities allowed to enter Gaza combined with important increase in prices of food contribute in raising the number of households food unsecured, hence their ability to meet nutritious diet. Fuel and gas imports are also very restricted and are distributed to population with the coupon rationing system. Due to lack of fuel, farmers cannot run their agricultural water wells and fishermen their boats therefore; agriculture and sea products have decrease in quantity and increase in prices. The water pumps and the sewage treatment plants are not working properly; sewages are pouring directly in the sea creating a health hazard. Disruptions in safe water and accumulation of rubbish in the streets allowed to more childhood diseases. The health sector is also impacted by fuel and medications shortages as well as lack of spare-part and denied access to treatment abroad. Many patients died.

3- Project justification:
Different factors contribute to malnutrition amongst the children less than 5 years old in the Gaza Strip such as inadequate breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices coupled with inadequate family care practices as well as lack of food, deficiency in water and sewage and recurrence of illnesses. In order to rehabilitate the malnourished children, AEI works on mothers’ behavior and provides the malnourished children with therapeutic nutritious meals at center setting, micronutrients supplements, medications when needed to treat the associated illness which could impaired the children nutritional status. Fresh wet meals prepared in AEI center will be composed of enriched pudding or porridge besides fruits then cooked vegetables with meat. A dry food ration (salty and sweet) to be used at home in order to cover children nutrition needs the days they are not attending AEI therapeutic feeding unit. Transportation cost is paid for each visit in order to help the poor mothers to reach AEI center. Scope of Work: During project implementation, this proposed project will cover 200 children suffering from moderate or severe underweight malnutrition admitted in the therapeutic feeding unit with fresh(wet) meals prepared and served inside the unit, dry food rations to used at home, cost of public transportation will be paid to the beneficiaries to facilitate their coming to the centers, and the cost of re-printing hand book covering nutritional health educational topics regards the appropriate nutrient balanced food prepared and served to children from 6-59 months according to available resources.

4- Project Goal:
Improve nutritional health status of children suffering from underweight malnutrition.

5- Project objectives:
Improve the nutritional status of underweight malnourished children 6-59 months old( moderate and severe degrees).

6- Proposed activities:
- Patients' registration.
- Growth monitoring.
- Food demonstrations
- Supervision and guidance of mothers' behavior regarding child feeding.
- Provision of fresh meals
- Provision of dry food rations (salty and sweet)
- Daily recording.
- Monthly reporting.
- Case study.
- Interviews with mothers
- Health education material: “Your family between your hands; receipts for children 6 months 5 years old”.

7- Project Period:
The project period is 3 months from 1st November 2008 to 31st January 2009.

8- Beneficiaries:
200 Children 6-59 months old suffering from moderate and severe underweight malnourished children admitted in AEI Khan-Yunis center

9- Monitoring, evaluation, reporting:
Monitoring of the project activities will be implemented during all project cycle, the staff and beneficiaries will be engaged in the monitoring process. Project results will focus on:

1. Improvement in child’s nutritional status, comparing the weight and height at admission and discharge from the therapeutic feeding unit.
2. A positive change in mothers’ behavior towards good child’s feeding practices.
3. Mother's commitment to the child’s follow-up as well as their satisfaction regarding the services received.

Narrative and financial reports will be submitted quarterly and by the end of the project.