The Okoa Mama na Mtoto initiative, also known as OMMI, is a 3 year Gates Funded collaborative effort in Kenya aimed at accelerating the reduction of maternal and newborn deaths. It focuses on advocating for improved quality of maternal and newborn care, increased domestic funding for maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition efforts (MNCH + N), and advocating for policies that protect the health of women and children.
Donor
Background
Despite notable progress in increasing coverage and access to maternal and newborn health initiatives, Kenya remains significantly off track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and 12 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030. Many of the solutions needed to accelerate progress are well known by local experts. There is a need for coordinated action so that priorities are translated into national and sub-national plans and budgets, that committed funds flow through the system and that community-led accountability efforts feed into decision-making.
Under the leadership of the International Centre for Reproductive Health Kenya, the Okoa Mama na Mtoto – Maternal and Newborn Survival – Initiative (OMMI) brings together a host of partners to fast-track progress towards the maternal and newborn SDGs in Kenya. Partners include Options Consultancy Services (Options), Ushiriki Wema, KOGs, KMTC, Lwala Community Alliance, County Youth RH Networks, Shina Foundation, Fountain of Hope, FANIKISHA, Ollwi/Touch a Life, WPWD and Wanahabari.
Working at the national and sub-national level in priority geographies, OMMI aims to achieve the following by 2027:
Key partners International Centre for Reproductive Health-Kenya (ICRHK) Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg , School of Public Health Donor Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Period of implementation July 2017
Key partners ICRHK Donor Hope for Girls, a Belgian-based organization Period of implementation 2019 -2020 Location: Mombasa Overview of the project The project aimed at addressing gaps in knowledge and attitudes on sexual violence among primary school children aged
Key partners Equality Effect Organization Donor Equality Effect Organization Period of implementation Oct 2018- Oct 2023 Location: Kilifi, Kwale, Kisumu, and Homabay Overview of the project The study provided an estimate of the prevalence of sexual violence among school-going
Key partners The key stakeholders included the Area Advisory Councils in Kisauni and Changamwe, the Coast General Teaching & Referral Hospital, the Technical University of Mombasa, the Departments of Gender, and Health, and the Ministry of Interior. Donor Mannion
Key partners Equality Effect in collaboration with International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRHK) Donor Equality Effect Organization Period of implementation 2022 -2023 Location: Mombasa & Kilifi Overview of the project The 160 Girls Virtual Justice Club (VJC) project aimed
Key partners ICRHK, Kenyatta University, Center for Global Women’s Health & Gender Equity Donor John Hopkins University Period of implementation (Phase 1 -2019–2020), Phase 2- Dec 2022- May 2025 Location: Nairobi Overview of the project Phase 1 In 2019,
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Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented by ICRHK in collaboration with George Washington University and Northwestern University, the Social Network Analysis (SNA) Project was a qualitative study launched in March 2017 to explore how social
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Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented by International Centre for Reproductive Health Kenya (ICRHK) in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD), and the Kenya National Bureau of
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