US-funded health, nutrition programme ends operations in Turkana

Governor Jeremiah Lomurukai addressing a public meeting in Turkana county 

The US-funded Nawiri Programme has officially ended operations in Turkana County after reaching more than 500,000 people in efforts to combat acute malnutrition in the region.

Despite the programme’s closure, the Turkana county government has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the gains achieved through Nawiri, citing its transformative impact on livelihoods, policy development, and integrated service delivery.

Nawiri, which was initially scheduled to run from 2019 to 2027, concluded following a close-out engagement meeting between programme partners and county officials.

Speaking during the meeting, Deputy Governor John Eru acknowledged the strong partnership built over the past seven years, noting that the programme had delivered far-reaching benefits to communities across the county.

“We are here to reflect and celebrate what Nawiri has achieved as we worked together to improve the lives of our people,” Eru said.

He said the county administration was satisfied with the programme’s outcomes.

Eru described the United States government as one of Turkana’s key development partners, saying Nawiri’s impact went beyond sectoral support to creating lasting community-level change.

He highlighted Ujuzi Mashinani, Nawiri’s skills development model, as a key inspiration for the county, informing collaboration with the national government on the Nyota Programme, which targets former Nawiri beneficiaries.

He also acknowledged the county’s partnership with Mercy Corps under the GIRL-H Programme, noting its contribution to strengthening protection policies.

The county assembly already has a framework to guide protection interventions.

“Nawiri has not only changed lives, but also guided our policy and institutional frameworks,” Eru said, adding that the county is shifting towards multi-sectoral, value-chain-driven responses to deliver integrated services.

By the end of the programme, Nawiri had reached 92 per cent of its initial target of 598,475 participants.

Director of implementation Patricia Murie attributed the success to a cost extension expanded participant reach, while revising the acute malnutrition reduction target from 18 per cent to 12 per cent.

“Operating in a fragile context and still reaching 92 per cent of nearly 600,000 targeted participants reflects the strength of partnerships and community-led implementation,” Murie said.

In the health and nutrition sector, Nawiri supported 133 health facilities, 140 community health units, and 1,648 Community Health Promoters to strengthen service delivery.

The programme also supported 27 water systems valued at over Sh200 million, strengthened 35 Water User Associations, and significantly improved access to safe water in vulnerable areas.