The US Agency for International Development (USAID), announces a new nutrition program "Aksyon Kominote nan Sante pou Ogmante Nitrisyon" (AKSYON) or a period of 5 years and funded with 18 million US dollars.

This program that will provide the malnutrition screening and referral services to 2 million people over 5 years, aims in particular to reduce the number of women and children under 5 malnourished based on community health stores network (Boutik Santé) of the Foundation FONKOZE to establish a network of 1,800 community health entrepreneurs, who will become key resources in health and nutrition for their community.

These community health entrepreneurs will be responsible for documenting cases of moderate and severe malnutrition with practical and sustainable system of malnutrition management (MMIS) and provide registration services, screening, referral and follow in their community from their own "Boutik Sante" aims to address the lack of reliable access to quality health products and services sold over the counter, while the profits from the sale of health and hygiene products will ensure their sustainability.

Entrepreneurs will also promote the inclusion of vulnerable households in the micro-finance program "Ti Kredi" of FONKOZE, while its partner "Makouti AgroEntreprise", will provide training and technical assistance for gardening activities at home and livestock.

The FONKOZE Foundation will lead a consortium of partners in the setting-out of AKSYON, including the Financial Service FONKOZE, whose 44 branches and 2,000 credit centers will ensure the national scope of the project and Healthy Entrepreneur will be responsible for the supply chain.

The program AKSYON will be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health and UNICEF.

HL/ HaitiLibre