health and nutrition

Vision

Healthier communities where every woman, man, and child has access to quality healthcare, proper nutrition, and the opportunity to live a long, productive life.

Why It Matters

Access to healthcare and good nutrition are fundamental human rights—yet millions of Nigerians, especially in rural and underserved communities, remain deprived of both.

High maternal and infant mortality rates, malnutrition, and limited access to primary healthcare facilities persist due to poverty, weak health systems, and low awareness of preventive health practices.

Forward Africa (FOFA) believes that a healthy population is the foundation of sustainable development. When mothers and children thrive, entire communities prosper.

Our Health and Nutrition Program focuses on strengthening community health systems, empowering families with health knowledge, and promoting behavioral change that saves lives.

our approach

We take a community-based, preventive, and participatory approach to improving health outcomes by:

Promoting Maternal and Child Health (MCH): Encouraging safe pregnancies and deliveries through prenatal, antenatal, and postnatal education.

Strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC): Partnering with the Imo State Ministry of Health and Primary Health Care Development Agency to extend essential services to rural communities.

Nutrition Education and Food Security: Addressing malnutrition through nutrition counseling, fortified food distribution, and microloans for food-producing households.

HIV/AIDS Prevention and Awareness: Building community knowledge on prevention, testing, and stigma reduction through health volunteers and youth outreach.

Community Health Financing: Supporting widows and low-income mothers with small health loans to reduce out-of-pocket costs for essential services.

FOFA’s interventions are designed to build resilient, self-sustaining health systems by empowering local volunteers, integrating digital health education, and strengthening collaboration between government agencies and communities.

Alignment with Global Goals

Our Health and Nutrition initiatives are fully aligned with the:

SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

SDG 2 – Zero Hunger: End hunger and ensure access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food year-round.

SDG 5 – Gender Equality: Promote equal access to healthcare for women and girls.

Nigeria’s National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP III 2024–2028) for Primary Health Care Revitalization.

Key Achievements:

Partnered with UNICEF to implement non-formal education and health awareness programs for out-of-school boys, integrating hygiene and sexual health education.

Provided micro-health loans to 250 widows in Imo State to improve household nutrition, access to medication, and maternal care.

Trained 150 community health volunteers in HIV prevention, nutrition counseling, and family planning advocacy.

Supported local health centers in maternal record digitization and health outreach logistics.

Conducted health and nutrition sensitization campaigns reaching 10,000+ rural dwellers through door-to-door and radio-based education.

Key Achievements

Trained over 600 civil society actors in Imo and Abia States on participatory governance under the PIND partnership (2012–2013).

Conducted community town halls across rural Imo State promoting citizen dialogue on transparency and service delivery.

Partnered with USAID, NDI, and PACT to implement democracy and anti-corruption initiatives strengthening electoral and institutional accountability.

Supported youth and women networks to track government budgets and influence policy outcomes.

Project Spotlight: Healthy Mothers, Healthy Futures (HMHF) Goal: Improve maternal and child health outcomes through nutrition, family planning, and safe delivery services in 20 rural communities across Imo State

goal

To enhance civic participation, strengthen institutional accountability, and promote ethical governance across Southeastern Nigeria.

objectives

Impact Targets (2025–2028)

Reduce maternal and infant mortality by 40% in target communities.

Provide free antenatal and postnatal care for 2,000 women annually.

Train 50 traditional birth attendants (TBAs) and 100 health volunteers in emergency obstetric care and safe delivery practices.

Deliver nutrition counseling and vitamin supplementation to 5,000 children under five.

Establish community health funds to support low-income families.

Projected Budget: ₦60,000,000 (≈ USD 40,000)

10,000+ rural beneficiaries reached.

50% increase in antenatal attendance in project communities.

30% reduction in under-five malnutrition.

Sustainable community-based health volunteer network across 20 LGAs.

Why Fund This Project Investing in health is investing in human capital. FOFA’s Healthy Mothers, Healthy Futures project builds scalable, cost-effective models that can be replicated across Nigeria to combat maternal mortality, child malnutrition, and preventable diseases.

By supporting this initiative, funders and partners contribute directly to global health equity, women’s empowerment, and sustainable rural development—aligning with donor priorities in maternal health, nutrition, and gender inclusion.

Together, we can build a future where no mother dies giving life and no child suffers from malnutrition.

Partner with Forward Africa to expand access to community-based healthcare and nutrition education. Donate, collaborate, or fund our next round of interventions in 2025–2028.

Contact: info@fofang.org