On the path to recovery: WFP’s Voucher for Treatment programme Empowers Mothers and children to Combat Malnutrition

Hawa Mohammed cradles her 10-month-old baby and listens intently to a nutritious food preparation demonstration in Guguftu village in South Wollo zone of the Amhara region. Hawa’s daughter, Hassinet, is malnourished and has been enrolled into WFP’s Voucher for Treatment programme, after Hawa brought her to the Guguftu Health Post. 

This demonstration is an integral part of WFP’s Voucher for Treatment programme, which complements the provision of an electronic voucher that allows participants of the programme to purchase recommended fresh foods that will help set them on the path to recovery from malnutrition. This alternative approach for the use of local foods to address moderate wasting is especially important because it also boosts the local economy and increases the availability of these foods in rural markets. Mothers like Hawa are encouraged to cook and consume these fresh nutritious foods, through culturally sensitive behavior change strategies. 

“My husband is a farmer,” says Hawa; he is the bread winner of our family. We have a small plot of land from where we grow some crops but could only bring a meagre income.  We can hardly afford to buy the varieties of food items to provide for ourselves, let alone something similar to what has been demonstrated.” As part of this Voucher for Treatment programme, Hawa is provided with the electronic voucher so she can buy recommended nutritious food items from local traders. 

The programme holds screening at the community level, where health workers assess individuals—especially children and pregnant or breastfeeding women—for signs of malnutrition or health concerns. The women and children have routine follow-ups at the health post every two weeks, where their progress is monitored, and additional support is given as needed. Health workers also conduct home visits, offering community support and reinforcing health and nutrition education. 

Once the nutrition demonstration ends, Hawa and the other mothers head to the market to purchase special food items from retail sellers to prepare nutritious meals for their children at their homes.   

At the markets, they have access to different food items from the food groups such as cereals, legumes/pulses, animal proteins and fruits, and vegetables, iodized salt, and vegetable oil. The quantities of each food item are determined for the moderately malnourished children and mothers respectively, to meet a minimum nutrient profile deemed to be sufficient to ensure nutritional recovery.

“Look how happy my child is, she’s so healthy and always cheerful,” says Hawa pointing at her daughter.  “It is surprising even for myself that she’s never been sick since I began feeding her the recommended food items which I get for free through the voucher system.  I am so grateful for this opportunity,” she said with a smile. 

With thanks to funding from the UK, the programme is being implemented in 42 districts of Amhara, Oromia, Central, Sidama, and Southern Ethiopia regions reaching 120,000 malnourished children aged 6 to 59 months as well as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

Hawa is now well enlightened about nutrition and is determined to support her daughter to recover and grow healthy.