ACF International Network
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Action Against Hunger has developed its water and sanitation expertise over nearly three decades of field work, advancing a number of solutions for populations at risk from water insecurity.
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Central to the targeting of malnutrition, Action Against Hunger extends water and sanitation improvements to communities with little or no access to proper sources.
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Action Against Hunger's programs are sustainable because of our commitment to community participation—to build local capacity and harnesses a population's energy and resources.
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Though strategies may vary, our food security interventions all share a common goal: to fight hunger by preserving and strengthening livelihoods in a sustainable and contextual manner.
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Action Against Hunger’s innovative food security programs offer a broad range of solutions for generating income, boosting food production, and strengthening livelihoods.
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Our comprehensive approach to hunger involves extending water and sanitation services to communities faced with water scarcity, unsafe drinking water, and inadequate sanitation.
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Action Against Hunger occupies a unique place among international organizations: our expertise encompasses emergency relief, longer-term development, and the terrain in between.
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We have developed an effective method to treat acute malnutrition that includes field-tested protocols and nutritional products backed by an international scientific advisory committee.
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Action Against Hunger helps rehabilitate and restock public health infrastructure, fields mobile health clinics, and trains local medical personnel on preventative and diagnostic care.
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Our comprehensive programs address the linkages between disease and malnutrition by coordinating with local expertise and strengthening existing public health systems.
ACF International Map
Where We Work

Nicaragua
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Nicaragua has the lowest Human Development Index in Central America (0.643; 121 out of 175 countries). In addition to Nicaragua's structural poverty, the country is highly vulnerable to natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch, drought, etc.).

Program Information

Directing HQ: 
Action Against Hunger - Spain
Launch Date: 
January 1996
World Region: 
Americas
Location(s): 
Managua, Departments of Madriz and Chontales
Expatriates: 
1
Local Staff: 
14
Beneficiaries: 
10,600people
Funding: 
FamiSalud/USAID, Coalición por la Tierra, French Embassy, Government of Madrid, AECI, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Humanitarian Context

Nicaragua has the lowest Human Development Index in Central America (0.643; 121 out of 175 countries) In addition to Nicaragua's structural poverty; the country is highly vulnerable to natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch, drought, etc.) The coffee crisis (drop in international prices) has impacted on employment and salaries for many agricultural workers. The weakness of public policies in fighting poverty and the neo-liberal policies pushed by the IMF have had negatively affected the reduction of inequality. Nicaragua's foreign debt is more than $6 billion. 40% of the country's annual exports go towards servicing this debt, with a staggering 53% of the population is unemployed.

Furthermore, Nicaragua has the highest proportion of malnourished people (29%) in the Americas, with the exception of Haiti.

Area(s) of Work

Nutrition: 
  • Support to the Ministry of Health and to other actors in designing information systems and early warning systems relating to nutritional food security
  • Support for coverage services enhancement regarding first level care with FamiSalud
  • Research focused on defining nutrition indicators at a regional level with NicaSalud
  • Institutional support for nutrition and alimentary monitoring of children under 5 at hospitals
Food Security: 
  • Development of skills for local management of natural resources and land
  • Research in participatory tools for the local management of natural resources
  • Diversification of agricultural activities through the installation of family and community-run irrigation systems
  • Stockbreeding diversification projects
Water & Sanitation: 
  • Strengthening the municipal capabilities for the management of water and sanitation services in the rural areas
  • Support for coverage services enhancement regarding first level care with FamiSalud regarding environmental health