Children under the age of 5 are very vulnerable: They are susceptible to diseases and malnutrition, and their parents need to be able to access primary health care for them.

In 2020, the EU and the Irish NGO Concern teamed up in a 3-year programme to provide a comprehensive assistance package to children in need across Africa. The support ranged from emergency food treatment to nutrition education to parents, as well as cash support to upskilling medical staff and upgrading medical facilities.

The programme, called Enhanced Responses to Nutrition Emergencies (ERNE), has reached more than 1.2 million people in Ethiopia, Niger, Sudan, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

“After coming to the clinic for the second time, I have found that my child is gaining weight. Which is a great relief”, said the mother of 10-month-old Nyariek Choap, who was treated for malnutrition in South Sudan.

In Niger, CONCERN helped Ramatou Ayouba set up a small garden, after her son became ill with malnutrition. “The home garden is very helpful for feeding my family,” she said.

The ERNE Programme was supported under a unique arrangement with the EU’s humanitarian aid, which provided 3-year funding in place of the normal short-term cycles of funding which humanitarian donors often provide.

Through photos, meet the parents and healthcare workers involved in the programme.

_{Story by CONCERN.
Publication date: 24/05/2023}