UNICEF Nutrition Programme in Rwanda

Rwanda has made remarkable progress in health, education and gender equality over the past two decades. Yet, malnutrition especially among children under five, pregnant and lactating women, and people living with HIV remains a critical challenge. UNICEFs nutrition programme in Rwanda works handinhand with the Government, civil society and communities to ensure every child and mother receives the nutrients they need to survive, learn and thrive.

Why Nutrition Matters

Undernutrition compromises physical growth, cognitive development and immune function. In Rwanda:

• About 21% of children under five are stunted (low height for age).
• Nearly 13% are wasted (low weight for height), indicating acute food shortage.
• Micronutrient deficiencies especially iron, vitamin A and iodine affect millions of women and children.

These conditions increase the risk of illness, impair school performance and reduce future economic productivity. Earlylife nutrition is therefore a cornerstone of Rwandas Vision 2050, which aims to transform the country into a middleincome, knowledgebased economy.

Key Components of the Programme

1. Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF)

UNICEF supports exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and appropriate complementary feeding thereafter. Activities include:

• Training healthcare providers on lactation counselling.
• Communitybased mother support groups.
• Behaviourchange communication using radio spots, posters and mobile messages.

2. Micronutrient Supplementation

Preventive distribution of vitamin A capsules, ironfolic acid tablets for pregnant women and multiplemicronutrient powders (MNP) for infants. Partnerships with the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority ensure quality and safety.

3. Management of Acute Malnutrition

UNICEF strengthens the CommunityBased Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) approach:

• Screening and referral at health centres and village health workers.
• Provision of ReadytoUse Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for severe cases.
• Followup monitoring to prevent relapse.

4. SchoolBased Nutrition

Through the School Feeding Programme, UNICEF equips schools with fortified meals, nutrition education curricula, and school gardens that teach children how to grow nutrientdense foods.

5. Nutrition in Emergencies

When floods, landslides or disease outbreaks strike, UNICEF rapidly deploys nutrition kits, therapeutic foods and cash transfers to protect vulnerable households.

Strategic Partnerships

Collaboration is central to impact. UNICEF works with:

• Ministry of Health (MoH) policy development, healthsystem integration and data management.
• Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) promotion of biofortified crops.
• Local NGOs such as Vision for Change and Imbuto Foundation grassroots implementation.
• International partners WHO, World Food Programme, Gavi and donor governments.

Impact Highlights (20202024)

Stories from the Field

Nyiramanas recovery: After being admitted with severe acute malnutrition, Nyiramana, a 19monthold from Gicumbi district, completed a 10week RUTF treatment at her local health centre. Today she is thriving and enjoys school meals that include fortified porridge.

Womens empowerment through nutrition gardens: In the Kayonza region, a womens group cultivated moringa and pumpkin leaves, providing a seasonal source of iron and vitamin A. The gardens surplus is sold, generating income for the families.

Challenges Ahead

While progress is evident, several obstacles remain:

• Geographic access remote, mountainous communities still face long distances to health facilities.
• Climate vulnerability changing rainfall patterns threaten crop yields and food security.
• Data gaps realtime nutrition surveillance is needed to target interventions more precisely.

Future Directions (20252030)

UNICEFs roadmap aligns with Rwandas National Nutrition Programme (20092024) and its successor, the Strategic Plan for Nutrition 20252030:

• Scale up digital tools for community health workers to track growth curves and trigger alerts.
• Promote climatesmart agriculture seed distribution of droughttolerant, biofortified varieties.
• Strengthen social protection integrate cashfornutrition transfers with existing safetynet programmes.
• Enhance multisectoral coordination create nutrition focal points in every district to synchronize health, agriculture and education efforts.

How You Can Support

Every contribution amplifies the reach of lifesaving nutrition services:

• Donate to UNICEFs Nutrition Work
• Advocate for policies that protect maternal leave and breastfeeding spaces.
• Partner with local NGOs to implement school gardens or community nutrition clubs.

Learn More

For detailed reports, data and partnership opportunities, visit:

• UNICEF Rwanda Country Office
• Rwanda Ministry of Health
• Rwanda Agriculture Board