A lifetime of good health begins in childhood.

Uganda is a country blessed with abundant resources and a favorable climate, yet the challenge of poor health and inadequate nutrition among children under five remains significant. Of the 5.98 million children under the age of five, 26% are stunted, 10% are underweight, 3% are wasted, and 3% are overweight (UDHS 2022).

These statistics highlight the urgent need for comprehensive health and nutrition programs that address the root causes of malnutrition and poor health among children and women of childbearing age. ChildFund collaborates with key stakeholders and partners to ensure that all children are healthy and well-nourished. We support households and communities with the tools and knowledge they need to take charge of their health and improve children’s well-being, ensuring every child gets the best possible start in life.

Our approach is community-led and child-focused. We work alongside families, community health workers, local leaders, and government systems to strengthen health services, promote healthy behaviors, improve access to safe water and nutritious food, and ensure mothers and caregivers have the support they need.

Our Impact

6,227,033

People accessed Primary Health Care services ensuring essential health needs are met for children, women, and families.

47,626

Community members reached with community-based health education to promote healthy behaviors and prevent disease.

1,407,799

Adolescents and youth accessed adolescent-friendly maternal and health services to support healthy transitions and well-being

1,441

Families received nutritional assessment, counselling, and support services to improve child nutrition and overall health.

228

Village Health Teams trained on nutritional assessment and counselling services to strengthen community capacity for child health and nutrition.

Facts and figures from 2024 data.

Our Approach

ChildFund’s health and nutrition programs:

Maternal and Child Health
ChildFund partners with families, communities, health workers, and local governments to strengthen health systems and deliver essential maternal and child health interventions. We focus on improving nutrition, expanding access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, and ensuring that mothers and children benefit from vital services like vaccinations, helping them stay healthy. Featured Projects: The Busia Maternal Newborn & Childhood Survival Project | Uganda Using a community-based engagement approach, this three-year project led to a decrease in childhood illnesses and increased awareness on pregnancy, delivery, postpartum and newborn danger signs. ChildFund, Government and Nutrition International roll out a countrywide Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) project targeting 5 million children.
Community-Led Health and Nutrition Solutions
ChildFund partners with local organizations and communities to identify and address their most urgent health challenges. Through inclusive, participatory approaches, we co-create culturally appropriate solutions - from organizing community health outreaches, offering immunizations and antenatal care, to conducting hygiene and sanitation awareness campaigns that promote handwashing and clean environments. We support nutrition education using locally available foods and engage caregivers in practical demonstrations on safe food preparation and feeding practices for young children, including exclusive breastfeeding.
Strengthening Community Health Systems
ChildFund strengthens community health systems to ensure children and families can access essential services at the primary healthcare level. We support school health programs, conduct regular community health outreaches, and ensure functional referral pathways for specialized services, including those for children with disabilities and emergency health needs.
Promoting Positive Health Behaviors
ChildFund drives behavior change at the community and household levels. We promote healthy practices at home, encourage timely use of health services, and conduct health outreaches that reinforce key messages and services in hard-to-reach areas.
Expanding Access through Digital Innovation
ChildFund leverages digital technology to reach more people with critical health information and services. We focus especially on young people, using digital platforms they are familiar with to increase access to health education and support.
Collaborative, Evidence-Based Programming
ChildFund works in close collaboration with academia, the Ministry of Health, and cultural and religious leaders. We design evidence-based health programs that are informed by local data and are responsive to community needs.
Advocacy and Policy Influence
ChildFund advocates at local, regional, and national levels to ensure health issues affecting children and families are prioritized. We engage with policymakers to push for actions that lead to long-term improvements in health systems and services.

Featured Project

Reaching Every Child, Everywhere: Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) Mop-Up Project

Vitamin A deficiency remains a major public health concern in Uganda, contributing significantly to child morbidity and mortality. Between 2021 and 2023, ChildFund, with support from Nutrition International (NI), partnered with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to scale up vitamin A supplementation (VAS) for children aged 6–59 months across the country through a national Vitamin A mop-up intervention. By the end of the three-phase initiative, vitamin A supplementation coverage increased from 40% in 2021 to 75% by June 2023, reaching over 4.2 million children with this life-saving intervention nationwide.

Key activities of the campaign included a national bottleneck analysis workshop to identify barriers to effective Vitamin A coverage, planning and coordination meetings with district health teams, and orientation sessions for local government teams on VAS campaign implementation. Additional efforts involved supervising micro-planning meetings and supporting health facilities in conducting effective outreach services to administer Vitamin A capsules and deworming tablets to children across Uganda.