In implementing food security programs, Counterpart International works to improve the health and nutrition of mothers and children and reduce child malnutrition, morbidity and mortality. 

Counterpart International (Counterpart) works in partnership with Ministries of Health, local and international non-governmental organizations and local communities to address malnutrition, prevent common maternal and childhood infectious diseases and promote good health, hygiene and nutrition behaviors. Counterpart's approach focuses on prevention and developing the capacity of local communities to support better health and nutrition. 

Counterpart programs combine the following maternal and child health and nutrition activities:

• Emergency and supplemental feeding for malnourished children;
• Promotion and monitoring of children's growth through community weighing days; 
• De-worming and micronutrient supplementation;
• Qualified health care for the mother before, during and after childbirth, as well as needed health education, and training for traditional, local midwives; 
• Support for childhood immunizations against childhood diseases;
• Training for health care workers in management of childhood illnesses, such as diarrhea, pneumonia and malaria; and
• Behavior change communication that addresses promotion of proper infant and child feeding, dietary diversity, proper management of childhood illnesses, self-care during pregnancy, immunizations, birth spacing, and healthy hygiene and sanitation.

Counterpart is also working to build the capacity of local communities in community management of acute childhood malnutrition (CMAC). Counterpart's package of CMAC interventions enhance community health systems and health structures with training, equipment and monitoring to conduct child malnutrition prevention, screening, referral and treatment at the community level. CMAC has resulted in increased numbers of children screened, treated and/or referred; reduced costs associated with hospitalization and treatment; and reduced workload on over-loaded government health structures. 
 
Examples:

• In Mauritania, Counterpart trained 480 community health workers, 16 traditional birthing attendants and 160 community health agents to form health committees in 157 villages and coordinate health and nutrition initiatives on behalf of their communities. The health committees play a vital role in identifying beneficiaries most in need and creating Community Action Plans (CAP) to develop community-designed solutions to alleviate food insecurity.  
• In Senegal, 650 community health volunteers reach more than 250,000 people with radio programs, home visits, health talks, nutritious cooking demonstrations and other information, education and communication (IEC) activities. As examples of improved knowledge of good health behaviors, mothers who could list four pregnancy risks have increased from 9.95 percent to 33.06 percent, and vaccination of children aged 12-24 months has increased from 21.38 percent to 37.62 percent over a one-year period.

Photos: © Kyla Springer/Counterpart International.