World Vision-led project receives $41 million to transform nutrition, empower women and promote gender equality

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Highlights:

  • Alongside four local and international organizations, World Vision is leading a seven-year project tackling nutrition and gender equality in four countries.
  • The REACTS-IN project has received $41 million in funding from Global Affairs Canada.
  • The project will build on previous progress established by the ENRICH program and establish the foundation for progress in a new country, Somalia.
Sophia, a participant in the ENRICH project, cultivates nutrient -dense sweet potato in her field. With funding from the Government of Canada, the new REACTS-IN project will build on lessons learned from ENRICH to enable greater access to quality nutrition. Photo: Paul Bettings
(May 26, 2023) –
With funding announced today from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC), World Vision is leading a group of international and local organizations in a new $44-million, seven-year project to improve nutrition and gender equality for the most vulnerable women, adolescent girls and children under five years of age. 

The project is receiving $41 million from the Government of Canada, with World Vision contributing $3 million to the program.

The REACTS-IN (Realizing Gender Equality and Attitudinal Change for Transformative Systems in Nutrition) project brings together the specialized expertise of Nutrition International, Harvest Plus, Canadian Association for Global Health and McGill University. Together with World Vision, these organizations will further advance the rights and dignity of women and girls by increasing access to gender equitable nutrition.

The project builds on previous impact achieved in three countries, Bangladesh, Kenya and Tanzania, and will aim to create impact in one new country, Somalia.

The REACTS-IN project will engage women and girls in the production of and increase access to micronutrient-dense foods, including climate smart and biofortified crops which are drought resistant and prevent common illnesses.

Other key objectives include:
  • Supporting local women’s rights groups to advocate for women’s equal rights and address unpaid care work;
  • Helping community members overcome cultural barriers that enable harmful gender norms;
  • Strengthening health systems to increase availability, accessibility and quality of health and nutrition services;
  • Improving health care providers knowledge and skills to prevent and treat malnutrition.
“At this critical time of worsening hunger crises, World Vision is grateful for the continued generous support from the Government of Canada,” said Michael Messenger, President and CEO, World Vision Canada. “We are excited to be working in partnership with other development organizations and are committed to further improve nutrition for the most vulnerable and to enable communities to thrive.”

FAST FACTS
  • In 2021, the gap between the number of hungry women and hungry men worldwide was 8.4 times higher than in 2018.
  • Globally, one in five deaths among children under the age of five is attributed to malnutrition.
  • The combined crises of COVID-19, conflicts and the impact of climate change are projected to drive 46.6 million more people in Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania and Somalia into high levels of food insecurity.