Each year in Tanzania, around 11,000 maternal deaths occur, with 30 women dying daily during childbirth due to AIDS/HIV, complications, and malnutrition. With 75% of the population unable to afford a nutrient-adequate diet, relatives face dire choices: abandon orphaned infants or place them in orphanages. Alarmingly, 130 child deaths daily stem from malnutrition.

Maisha (‘life’) Matters programme is dedicated to improving neonatal health and nutrition in under-served Tanzanian communities. The programme reduces infant mortality through essential nutritional support for orphaned babies, as well as delivering weekly preventative health training, and economic empowerment for caregivers (usually grandmothers or aunts) to increase their capability of caring for their own families.

Proper nutrition in the first six months is crucial for infant survival, yet many families lack the necessary resources. With 47% of Tanzanians living below the poverty line of $1.90 per day, a $12 tin of formula milk is unaffordable for most families. Babies need two tins of milk per week, and this financial barrier leads to reliance on cheaper, less nutritious alternatives, resulting in severe health complications and higher infant mortality. Maisha Matters intervenes by keeping infants with extended families, ensuring proper nourishment and empowering caregivers through business creation to provide long-term support.

ALMT funding will extend Maisha Matters to Arusha, offering vital support to 20 malnourished babies and their families, providing six months of nutrition alongside long-term economic stability and flexible assistance for urgent health or economic challenges. Funding will also build capacity through training staff members, enabling the team to support between 75-150 malnourished babies and their families in subsequent years.