Congratulations to our June 2008 grantees:
Umkhuseli Fund Management/KwaZulu Natal Department of Health
Meds & Food for Kids
African Regional Youth Initiative
The next Board meeting to select new grantees is November 3-6, 2008
Umkhuseli Fund Management/KwaZulu Natal Department of Health
Meds & Food for Kids
African Regional Youth Initiative
The next Board meeting to select new grantees is November 3-6, 2008
Umkhuseli Fund Management/KwaZulu Natal Department of Health
Project Summary: Umkhuseli Fund Management, on behalf of the KwaZulu Natal Department of Health, has received a 12 month grant from the Izumi Foundation in the amount of $149,730 to support an innovative pilot for a community based MDR-TB treatment program in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The project will provide for critical elements necessary for a successful community-based MDR-TB program including early detection of side-effects from MDR-TB drugs (e.g. hearing loss), aggressive management of side effects (nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea), and nutritional supplementation. In addition, an evaluation will be included to assess the effectiveness of the piloted model. Overall, this project will not only provide humane and quality care to 200 MDR-TB patients, but it will also provide a potential model for expansion across South Africa and to other settings necessary to alleviate the suffering of thousands more and contain an emerging epidemic. If proven successful, the model will likely be expanded to include all of KZN.
Overall Goal: The overall goal of the project is to ensure successful out-patient treatment to MDR-TB patients in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, that fall outside the capacity of the conventional in-patient MDR-TB program, and to evaluate this treatment model for the purpose of using it in other settings strained with increasing MDR-TB burden.
Meds & Food for Kids
Project Summary: Meds and Food for Kids (MFK) has received a one year grant from the Izumi Foundation in the amount of $100,000 for two separate projects. First, financial assistance will be used to supplement the cost of implementing the World Bank Development Marketplace project. This project transfers technical expertise and creates capacity in the public sector in treating childhood malnutrition with Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF). MFK and its public sector partners anticipate treating between 2,700 and 4,050 Haitian children with Medika Mamba (RUTF) over the 22 months that children will receive treatment. Second, funds will be used to fully implement the UNICEF quality standards by the end of the summer of 2008. Specifically, MFK must establish a microbiological laboratory, make renovations to the production facilities, and upgrade essential machinery and equipment. In addition to delivering this critical nutritional assistance, support for this program will also allow MFK to meet UNICEF quality standards necessary for the organization to become sustainable over the long-term.
Overall Goal: Project #1: Increase the capacity of Haiti’s public sector to treat childhood malnutrition with home-based care and Medika Mamba.
Project #2: Achieve UNICEF food safety certification for RUTF production.
African Regional Youth Initiative
Project Summary: In collaboration with the Rural Center of Excellence, the African Regional Youth Initiative has received a grant from the Izumi Foundation in the amount of $79,000 to develop a model health center in Ipuli Village, Tanzania to address the direct needs of over 100,000 Ipuli Villagers and residents from surrounding communities. The requested funding is to construct a maternal health wing to provide safe deliveries and post-natal care to mothers and newborns; to identify and have the capacity to treat the greatest health needs of the community, with a focus on women of reproductive age (13-49) and children under 5; and to provide efficient and affordable transport for the most at-risk patients in the area who cannot access health care due to transportation barriers.
Overall Goal: The overall goal of the project is to reduce infant, young child and maternal morbidity and mortality in this poor rural region in Tanzania through creating new participatory and collaborative methods to promote direct health services, health education and community development. This will promote long-term solutions specific to addressing health and education needs in this marginalized rural areas of Tanzania.