Social Issue

The infant mortality rate in Mozambique is a long way off from what we find in, for example, European countries. In this African nation, more than 70 in every 1,000 children die, whereas in countries such as Germany, this figure barely surpasses 3 per 1,000. In Mozambique half of these child deaths occur in the age span from 0 to 5 years of age. Malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrhoea are the three main causes of these deaths, but the main trigger is malnutrition among the youngest. That is to say, improving or facilitating the diet of these children, would make it possible to protect thousands of lives.

Our Response

Between 2010 and 2014 the IBO Foundation has managed to reduce substantially (from 32% to 12%) the rate of underweight births, which is directly correlated with having achieved that the infant malnutrition rate in those younger than five years of age has dropped from 24% in 2013 to 16% in 2014.

The fundamental objectives of the project are the following:

• Have available efficient treatment protocols to directly administer in the case of moderate malnutrition or to divert to the Health Centre of the island in the case of severe malnutrition.
• Develop surveillance and anthropometric monitoring programmes on the entirety of those younger than five years of age and all pregnant women, thus preventing cases of malnutrition of which a high percentage originate in underweight births.
• Improve the training and awareness of the population regarding eating habits, working mainly with women of reproductive age and the care professionals, without leaving out the fathers and wider families that surround the child.

Expected Social Impact

The donation of the Netri Foundation focuses on improving the alimentary conditions of children between 0 to 5 years of age from the islands of the Ibo district. To this end, nutritional supplements are offered to the children who are underweight and at risk, and at the same time there is a control of pregnant women, and training is given on alimentary and nutritional topics both for the local population and for medical professionals.