Projecten
News and background information
The Achmea Foundation helps vulnerable population groups in various parts of the world. Our Impact Fund invests in specific projects in Africa, always with measurable targets and a clear end goal.
Supporting mental health
Country: Kenya and Zimbabwe Partner: Inuka Status: Ongoing, application granted this year
One in five people in Africa suffers from depression, anxiety and/or sleeping problems. Little help is available, since the number of psychiatrists per million inhabitants is lower than 1. In Kenya and Zimbabwe, Inuka is tackling this issue through an internet platform that offers the help of certified coaches to people experiencing these problems. The idea is based on the Friendship Bench, which involves specially trained grandmothers providing therapy to clients on benches situated at healthcare clinics. Achmea Foundation has provided Inuka with a donation, which Inuka is using to scale up the Friendship Bench concept via a non-profit digital platform in Zimbabwe. In addition, a loan has been provided so that Inuka can validate the platform as a commercial instrument and scale it up in Kenya. Both projects started in 2019 and are running according to plan.
Testimonial
Francisca explains how Inuka’s project has helped her.
EaveTubes
Country: Tanzania, to be expanded to other African countries in due course Partner: In2Care Status: Ongoing, evaluated
In2Care aims to facilitate malaria prevention by and for the local population. It has developed EaveTubes that reduce malaria cases by 40%, on top of the reduction achieved by existing measures such as bed nets. This innovation uses tubes fitted into walls and filled with reusable static netting inserts containing insecticides. Nocturnal malaria mosquitoes are lured into the EaveTubes, where they are unable to enter the house. Instead they are given a dose of insecticide that kills them (even those that are resistant to insecticides). Not only do EaveTubes protect people indoors from mosquito bites, but they also reduce mosquito populations to such an extent that malaria transmission is cut substantially, thereby protecting the entire community. The Achmea Foundation has invested by means of a loan, which has been used to develop an Operational Manual for National Malaria Control Programmes and to test the use of EaveTubes in large-scale anti-malaria campaigns.
The results will be used to acquire registrations and authorisation from the World Health Organization (WHO). The Achmea Foundation has also provided a loan to accelerate the scaling up of EaveTubes to other African countries. This initiative was evaluated during the autumn by an external party (Gupta Strategists) at the Achmea Foundation’s request. The evaluation concluded that In2Care’s professional approach is achieving key successes in scaling up for individual countries and in its authorisation process at the WHO.
Development of medicine platform
Country: Ghana Partner: PharmAccess Status: Ongoing, application granted this year
In Ghana around 30% of medicines are fake or substandard. This leads to adverse side-effects, limitations on treatment and even deaths. PharmAccess will combat this problem by developing an online platform for matching the supply and demand of medicines. Together with the Christian Health Association Ghana (CHAG) and its 6.5 million patients, PharmAccess is establishing a sustainable entity to manage the platform. In addition, a track-and-trace approach will safeguard the quality of medicines, and healthcare institutions will receive assistance to help them with effective stock management. PharmAccess will also offer financing to healthcare institutions through its Medical Credit Fund. This will enable them to pay for medicines on time and tide them over while waiting for delayed income from health insurers. The donation and loan granted by the Achmea Foundation are being used for the technical and operational development of the platform and for engaging and guiding healthcare providers and pharma companies.
Photographer: Niels Hanssens
Raising incomes and combating malnutrition in farming cooperatives
Country: Mali Partner: EUCORD Status: Final report approved by Board
Through innovative, small-scale projects, the Achmea Foundation is making a difference for the most vulnerable groups in society. The GRAIN project in Mali is a wonderful example of these efforts. From 2015 to 2019, EUCORD provided support to farming cooperatives in Mali. This involved support for the production of crops that have guaranteed market demand, while also making improvements to grain storage and sales. This project lent a helping hand to around 5,000 poor farmers.
EUCORD established a so-called ‘warrantage system’. This system enables agricultural products to be stored in a shed and sold at a later date (when the price is higher). The benefits are twofold. Firstly, it generates financial collateral, against which banks have agreed to provide credit. Secondly, it stabilises the incomes of farmers, enabling them to sell crops throughout the year.
Another effect is that the farmers involved have been able to eat a healthier, more varied diet, thereby reducing malnutrition. A key component of the project was the establishment of vegetable gardens and the provision of cooking and nutrition lessons. This activity has had an ongoing, substantial impact on efforts to reduce malnutrition.
Testimonial
Adama Diarra (35) is a young farmer from the village of Mafélé in Mali, who is participating in the warrantage system. This is his account of his experience.
Dairy 2025: catalyst for business-driven and climate-smart dairy farming in Tanga, Tanzania
Country: Tanzania Partner: Solidaridad Status: Ongoing initiative
The international civil-society organisation Solidaridad, the market leader in Tanzanian milk products Tanga Fresh and the commercial heifer breeder Mruazi farm (2,000 hectares) have launched a highly innovative project that will give the Tanzanian dairy sector a strong, climate-smart economic boost. The aim is to double the milk production of 6,000 small dairy farms in the Tanga region by 2025 and to make their production more sustainable and climate-friendly. By 2025 there will also be 25 profitable one-stop-shops in operation offering a broad range of affordable services to farmers, while 50 new dairy farms will be established as well. During the dry season there are regular shortages of cattle feed. These shortages hamper milk production and undermine the commercial viability of dairy farms. In this project we are therefore developing a commercial cattle feed production centre, to ensure that this problem is resolved for 300 farmers in the Tanga region by 2025. This new business will also encourage the development of more such businesses. This innovative project relies on modern technology such as a smartphone app, which helps farmers to professionalise their dairy farming activities. This app will also appeal to young people, helping to make them enthusiastic to join the dairy farming business.
Testimonial
De Mantelaar
Country: The Netherlands Partner: BeBright and Zilveren Kruis Status: completed
For a number of years the Achmea Foundation has been encouraging social enterprises in the health and welfare sector. This is why, in partnership with BeBright and Zilveren Kruis, we have set up the programme ImpactPlus. This programme is dedicated to helping social enterprises develop further and make a bigger impact. The main focus in 2019 was combating loneliness. We gave six social enterprises the opportunity to improve their business acumen. One of the participants was De Mantelaar. This organisation matches senior citizens and their informal carers with medical and paramedic students, who provide care, support and practical assistance. This benefits both sides: the senior citizens and their carers receive extra help, reducing the burden on them, while the students gain practical experience. The business wishes to grow and has been able to use the programme to professionalise its development plan.
