In 2011, contrary to previous episodes of drought, Uganda was largely spared by the crisis that affected the rest of the Horn of Africa. Nonetheless, the Northeastern region of Karamoja remains vulnerable to drought and frequently suffers from food insecurity resulting in chronic malnutrition. At household level, the main causes of malnutrition include poor child care practices due to women's heavy workloads.
In 2012, a favorable rainfall pattern enabled crop growth and a good harvest, resulting in the improvement of food security in Karamoja. Paradoxically however, recent malnutrition rates have reached alarming levels, with an overall rate for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) of 3.1%, well above the 2% emergency threshold. The successful crop growth and fruitful harvest witnessed this year demonstrate that malnutrition is not only the result of a lack of availability and access to food. This situation has therefore highlighted the fact that other sectors, such as health and hygiene and economic development are influential on the state of nutrition. Poor hygiene and child care practices, limited access to health services and clean water, and the inefficiency of outreach services are often major factors that contribute to the poor utilisation of available food, therefore often resulting in malnutrition.
Hygiene and nutrition are inextricably interlinked; as such it is important to share basic hygiene practices with the communities of the Karamoja region. In doing so, it is hoped that mortality and morbidity rates associated with poor hygiene practices leading to malnutrition will be reduced.
ACTED is addressing the current nutrition crisis by including early child care practices and hygiene promotion in its ongoing programs in this region, with the support of the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department. As part of this initiative community members are made aware of the importance of good hygiene and encouraged to improve their hygiene behaviour as well as the management of water and sanitation facilities. The second focus of this intervention is be on early childcare, an essential concept for child development. Studies and practice show that early child care practices such as exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life have beneficial effects as it helps maintain hydration and nutrition status, limits opportunities for infections and helps build immunity. ACTED promotes such hygiene and early childcare practices among agro-pastoralist communities with the overall aim to reduce vulnerability to human and animal diseases, recurrent disasters and other hazards.