Examining the Complex Dynamics Influencing Persistent Acute Malnutrition in Turkana and Samburu Counties – A Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study to Support Community Driven Activity Design, NAWIRI

Acute malnutrition in infants and children less than 5 years is persistent in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) of East Africa and the Sahel region despite years of investment. In the ASALs of Kenya, the situation is exacerbated by deep-rooted poverty and unequal access to basic services, sustained community conflicts, migration, poor seasonal rainfall/drought and other shocks. Nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive national and county level programs have either not been developed or not implemented effectively.

Objectives: To understand and map immediate, underlying, basic and systemic drivers of acute malnutrition for the development of overarching as well as micro-solutions for the sustainable reduction of persistent acute malnutrition (PAM) and inform pilot studies and Phase 2 (second phase of NAWIRI project implementation) activities in Turkana and Samburu Counties.