Project Name：Cash Assistance Project to Complement Maternal and Infant Health Care Improvement Project in the Kingdom of Eswatini (Phase II)

Project status：Projects in Operation

Cooperating Country：Kingdom of Eswatini

Project Description：

The International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) has cooperated with World Vision Eswatini (WVE) to implement the Cash Assistance Project to Complement the Maternal and Infant Health Care Improvement Project in the Kingdom of Eswatini since July 2021. The phase one project was completed in March 2022 and successfully assisted 873 pregnant women in improving their nutritional status and Antenatal Care (ANC) attendance rate. While COVID-19 has gradually decreased in severity, the impact on the economy of Eswatini remains. Hence, the TaiwanICDF continues to work with World Vision to implement the Cash Assistance Project to Complement the Maternal and Infant Health Care Improvement Project in the Kingdom of Eswatini (Phase II), which expands the coverage throughout the postnatal phase to protect the health of mothers and neonates. Overall, the project included the following:

1. Improve the nutritional status of at least 510 targeted pregnant women whose households live in poverty or suffer from food insecurity.

2. Engage at least 400 targeted women to seek at least four antenatal care services during their pregnancy and one postnatal care service at seven days after baby delivery.

Region：Africa

Implementation Start Date：2022-12-01

Implementation End Date：2023-12-31

Source of Funding：TaiwanICDF, World Vision

Project Objectives：

To improve nutritional status of targeted pregnant women and increase number of antenatal care and PNC visits among targeted pregnant women.

Executing Agency：

 World Vision Eswatini

Implementation Arrangement：

During the project implementation, the Taiwan Technical Mission in Eswatini will supervise the cash distribution process, target pregnant women's antenatal and postnatal care attendance rate, and provide technical advice. World Vision Eswatini will implement the project and liaise with local government units and stakeholders. World Vision Taiwan will monitor the implementation and report to the TaiwanICDF.

Current Progress：

Current Progress:

As of February 28, 2023, the following activities have been carried out:

1. Conducted 15 stakeholder meetings to promote and explain the project and the selection criteria for project beneficiaries;

2. Selected 510 of the most vulnerable applicants from the pregnant women applicant list and verified them with the Ministry of Health;

3. Disbursed the first installment of cash assistance of E2,324 (approximately US$145.25) to each selected beneficiary for the purchase of nutritional food and antenatal care visits;

4. Identified and referred 156 high-risk pregnant women to Rural Health Motivators (RHMs) or local clinics;

5. Confirmed 20 women completed four antenatal care services while pregnant and one postnatal care service seven days after delivery.

Project Contact：Richard C. Hung

E-mail：richard.hung@icdf.org.tw

Signing Date：2022-12-01

Mission：Taiwan Technical Mission in the Kingdom of Eswatini