DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA ― Nutrition International and the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on August 8, 2017, strengthening their partnership to address malnutrition in the country ― with a special focus on newborns, children, women and adolescent girls.

“Tanzania has a clear vision for where it wants to be by 2025, and to achieve this vision, we need to make sure future generations can take full advantage of their physical and cognitive potential ― and focussing on improving nutrition is key. “We welcome this important partnership with Nutrition International, as it will make a significant contribution to our country’s efforts in fighting malnutrition.”

— The Honourable Ummy Mwalimu, Tanzanian Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children.

Through the agreement, Nutrition International commits to working with the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, the Prime Minister’s Office through the SUN focal point, the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre and other stakeholders to:

• support the development of new program services related to newborn and child survival, growth and development, and women and adolescent girls’ health and nutrition;
• strengthen the coordination of nutrition activities in the country;
• provide technical support to strengthen nutrition surveillance, research and program evaluation;
• guide product specification and procurement and distribution of nutrition commodities and advocate for their demand through behaviour change interventions; and
• support the procurement of nutrition related supplies, commodities and equipment.

“We are excited to be deepening our partnership with the Government of Tanzania in its efforts to eliminate malnutrition. The leadership and momentum we are seeing on nutrition is inspiring and a clear example of the country’s determination to achieve national goals.” “With a sharper focus on providing better nutrition – in particular for women and girls – Tanzania will not only improve their lives, but the lives of generations to come.”

— Joel Spicer, President and CEO, Nutrition International

“Malnutrition is a silent emergency that is threatening Tanzania’s future, said Dr. Daniel R. Nyagawa, Country Director, Nutrition International Tanzania. “Nutrition International is proud to be working hand in hand with the Government of Tanzania to develop and implement programs and evidence-based interventions that will make a sustainable difference for individuals, families, communities and the country as a whole.”

The MOU officializes Nutrition International and the Government of Tanzania’s ongoing collaboration on nutrition in recent years. Milestones of this collaboration so far include the opening of a Nutrition International country office in Tanzania and the provision of technical assistance by Nutrition International, through its Nutrition Technical Assistance Mechanism (NTEAM)’s Technical Assistance for Nutrition project ― funded with UK aid from the UK government ― for the development of the Government’s National Multisectoral Nutrition Action Plan along with other partners. And more recently, Nutrition International, in collaboration with the  Government of Tanzania and the Government of Canada, launched the Right Start Initiative, a program to improve the nutrition and health of women, adolescent girls, newborns and young children in the country through a $CAN 2.8M (4.7B TZS) investment from the Government of Canada over five years.

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