Health & Nutrition

GREDO’s Health and Nutrition Programming
in Kenya

Strengthening Community Health and Nutrition for a Resilient in Kenya

GREDO is committed to improving the health and nutrition of vulnerable communities across Kenya by reducing malnutrition, expanding access to essential healthcare, and promoting long-term well-being for children, mothers, and families. We work closely with local health facilities and train frontline health workers to ensure that lifesaving medicines and services reach those who need them most. Our child health and nutrition programs focus on community-based care, therapeutic feeding, and preventive measures that reduce illness and mortality among children.

We also prioritize maternal and infant nutrition, promoting exclusive breastfeeding, maternal nutrition, and complementary feeding practices through Mother-to-Mother Support Groups and community outreach. Recognizing that health is holistic, we integrate mental health and psychosocial support to strengthen resilience and ensure families receive care that addresses both physical and emotional needs.

By combining evidence-based approaches with strong community participation, GREDO helps families overcome malnutrition, access essential care, and build healthier futures. Our vision is to see resilient communities across Kenya where every child and mother has the opportunity to thrive.

Building Resilient Health Systems and
Nutrition Solutions

Health Systems Management

GREDO works to enhance the capacity and efficiency of health systems in Kenya by:

  • Supporting the establishment and strengthening of primary healthcare facilities.
  • Training healthcare workers to improve service delivery.
  • Advocating for policy and regulatory frameworks that facilitate effective health governance.
  • Ensuring supply chain management of essential medicines and medical supplies.
  • Strengthening referral pathways to secondary and tertiary healthcare services.

Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)

The IMCI strategy is a key component of GREDO’s health programming, aimed at reducing child morbidity and mortality through:

  • Capacity building of health workers to diagnose and treat common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and malnutrition.
  • Community outreach and education on early detection and management of childhood illnesses.
  • Strengthening linkages between community health workers through the Boma Health Initiative and formal health facilities.
  • Promoting immunization and preventive care interventions.

 

Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM)

GREDO implements CMAM programs to address acute malnutrition, particularly in crisis-affected areas, through:

  • Outpatient Therapeutic Programs (OTP): Providing treatment for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) without medical complications using ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF).
  • Supplementary Feeding Programs (SFP): Supporting children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and pregnant and lactating women with targeted nutritional support.
  • Stabilization Centers (SC): Managing cases of SAM with complications that require inpatient care.
  • Community Mobilization: Conducting active case-finding and referral through trained community nutrition volunteers.

Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN)

To promote optimal maternal and child nutrition, GREDO implements MIYCN interventions focused on:

  • Promoting exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding up to two years or beyond.
  • Providing complementary feeding education for caregivers.
  • Conducting behavior change communication to enhance maternal dietary diversity and micronutrient intake. This is mainly done through the Mother to Mother Support Groups (MtMSGs)
  • Supporting antenatal and postnatal nutrition services, including micronutrient supplementation and counseling.
  • Engaging fathers and community leaders to foster supportive environments for maternal and child nutrition.

Through its health and nutrition programming, GREDO plays a crucial role in improving healthcare access and nutritional outcomes in Kenya. By strengthening health systems, implementing IMCI, managing acute malnutrition through CMAM, and promoting MIYCN practices, GREDO contributes to the resilience and well-being of communities facing humanitarian and developmental challenges.