ICON is a European Union funded three year (2007—2009) project whose overall objective is to empower communities and local institutions to effect sustainable improvements in nutritional status of under five children. The project falls directly under the objectives of the European Commission (EC) Sustainable Nutrition Rehabilitation Programme (SNRP) as well as the EC Strategy Programme for Malawi with its Safety Net Intervention Framework.

Where ICON is Implemented

ICON is implemented in two Traditional Authorities of Malenga & Chilooko in Ntchisi District and in three Traditional Authorities of Pemba, Kambwiri & Ndindi in Salima District in the Central Region of Malawi. .
The project focuses on enhancing food security, relieving disease burden, strengthening health and nutritional caring practices and institutional strengthening using various approaches.
ICON enhances food security through crop diversification which includes education on processing and storage of new crops and village savings and loans scheme. The crop diversification component provides households with the knowledge and seed stock to diversify food availability

How ICON Addresses Nutrition and Hygiene Practices

ICON addresses the disease burden, especially malaria and diarrhea, through the health education, hygiene and sanitation component which directly leads to adoption of appropriate child care practices as well as creating a physical environment where children are less likely to be exposed to disease which may lead to or exacerbate malnutrition.

ICON is also improving health and nutrition caring practices through health education and Positive Deviance/Hearth Programming. The activity leads to the adoption of diversified household diet in families with malnourished children. It contains elements whereby mothers/carers of malnourished children are helped to identify children whose growth is faltering and are then empowered to address the malnutrition through using local food resources to provide a balanced meal.

Partnership

The activities are implemented collaboratively by CARE Malawi, Work for Rural Health and the District Assembly through its various sectors.

Expected Results after the actions and the people to benefit

• Improved capacity of 9600 mothers/ carers to prevent malnutrition - 7865 under five children, 1500 people living with HIV & AIDS will be beneficiaries.
• Improved hygiene and sanitation facilities and behaviors at community level - 4,800 Households & 4000 students will be direct beneficiaries
• Strengthened understanding of key health care practices of children under five, pregnant and lactating woman and those infected with HIV & AIDS - 12,000 Health Center outpatients, VDCs/VHCs, Drama groups, Traditional Birth Attendants; Home Based Care groups; 835 community facilitators
• Strengthened household food security of 80,000 vulnerable households through diversified foods and enhanced crop production
• Increased food and livelihood security of vulnerable households by establishing 210 Village Savings & Loans Groups at community level
• Strengthened capacity of 15 Community Based Organisations/Civil Society Organisations, 5 Area Development Committee; 5 Area Executive Committees, 35 Village Development Committees; 30 Government Extension staff; 2 District Assemblies; 2 District Executive Committees as well as 200 Community Volunteers & Facilitators to implement nutrition related programmes
• A total of about 124,233people are to benefit from the project interventions, directly or indirectly.