Like other countries in the Sahel, Niger faces various humanitarian crises: the conflict in Lake Chad, recurrent malnutrition and food insecurity, disease outbreaks, floods and droughts, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of this, there is an emergency level of severe acute malnutrition affecting children under 5 years old.
With EU humanitarian funding, the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) works to improve health of populations affected by a shock or an epidemic. ALIMA also fights infant and juvenile mortality associated with severe acute malnutrition.
ALIMA and its local partners also train mothers and other caregivers to detect malnutrition in their children. They use a simple tri-colored bracelet, as part of the ‘MUAC for Mothers’ programme.
MUAC, or Mid-Upper Arm Circumference screening, is a safe and easy way to measure acute malnutrition in children. This is even more crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, as mass screenings were cancelled.
In 2021, almost 29 million Sahelians will require humanitarian assistance and protection, according to the United Nations – 5 million more than in 2020. The EU allocated €32.3 million in 2021 to Niger, mainly to provide food, shelter and nutrition assistance.
Text and photos: © Djibo Tagaza / ALIMA 2021. All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Treating and preventing malnutrition in Niger 01 8-month-old Naïma Issoufou suffers from malnutrition. Mariama, her mother, explains: “From the first days of treatment at the Gada Health Centre, she began to recover. Now she plays and eats again.” Treating and preventing malnutrition in Niger 02 Maman, a local volunteer, weighs 15-month-old Abdoul-Karim, who is suffering from malnutrition. “We are nomads. We were given soap, lotion, a blanket, a mat and a kettle. We were also fed for 6 days,” says Zouweira, his mother. Treating and preventing malnutrition in Niger 03 Aminatou Tidjani Mamane and Fassouma Garba are nurses at ALIMA/BEFEN’s Intensive Feeding and Recovery Centre in Mirriah. Treating and preventing malnutrition in Niger 04 Nana brought her daughter to the pediatric ward because she was suffering from pneumonia. “We got here yesterday, and she’s already improving,” she says. “In my village, I will tell the women to bring their sick children to the Mirriah Hospital.” Treating and preventing malnutrition in Niger 05 Hadjia Lahira is a health worker who teaches mothers how to detect malnutrition, with easy-to-understand visual aids. “I am a social worker, but have also been trained to care for malnourished children under 5, thanks to ALIMA,” she explains. Treating and preventing malnutrition in Niger 06 Raïya holds 2-month-old Amadou. He suffers from acute pneumonia and is being treated at ALIMA/BEFEN’s Recovery Centre. “When we arrived, the healthcare staff took good care of us, with infusions, oxygen, medicine, soap and blankets,” she says. Treating and preventing malnutrition in Niger 07 Maman, 57, is a local volunteer. Here, he distributes therapeutic nutritional foods to undernourished children. “I chose to work for ALIMA/BEFEN to help my community. I volunteer my time to educate the population” he says. Treating and preventing malnutrition in Niger 08More than 3.8 million people require humanitarian aid in Niger. Many families suffer from food shortages. The availability of food becomes even scarcer between harvests. In 2021, the EU is providing €32.3 million in humanitarian aid to support them.