The GENTU Project

Gender Equitable Nutrition in Tanzania and Uganda (GENTU)

In many rural communities across Tanzania and Uganda, women and girls carry the responsibility of nourishing their families. They rise early to tend the fields, fetch water, and later return to prepare meals for their families. Yet, when the food is finally served, often, they’re the ones who eat least and last – leaving them and their children vulnerable to malnutrition.

The GENTU Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and led by Action Against Hunger, is a five-year initiative (2023–2028) that takes a gender-transformative approach to improve nutrition for women, adolescent girls, and children. By addressing harmful social norms, empowering women and girls, and engaging men and community leaders, GENTU is helping families break the cycle of hunger for good.

Why Gender Equality Matters for Nutrition

Women and girls are at the heart of building lasting food security:

• In rural Tanzania, women produce 60% of food and make up 80% of the agricultural workforce.
• In rural Uganda, women contribute 70% of farm labor and 80% of food production.

Yet limited access to nutritious food, health services, education, financial resources, and land ownership prevent women and girls from taking control of their nutrition, health, and futures.

These barriers are deeply rooted in harmful social norms that keep men in control of decisions, both at home and in the community. The result is a cycle of inequality that harms women’s health, undermines their children’s well-being, and threatens the food security of entire communities.

GENTU works to break this cycle, equipping women and girls with the knowledge, tools, and support to nourish their families and lead change in their communities.

What a gender transformative approach is

A gender-transformative approach goes beyond changing individual behaviors. It works to shift social norms and systems that hold women and girls back, ensuring they have real choices in nutrition, health, education, and work.

GENTU applies this approach at every stage—addressing power imbalances, challenging harmful norms, and empowering women and adolescent girls. With support from men, community leaders, and government decision-makers, women gain the confidence and opportunity to create lasting change.

Over five years, GENTU aims to:

1. Improve nutrition practices among pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under five, and adolescent girls.
2. Strengthen access to quality health and nutrition services, especially for the poorest and most marginalized.
3. Build stronger collaboration between NGOs and government to deliver gender-focused, community-based programs.

How GENTU Creates Lasting Impact

GENTU works closely with communities to improve nutrition and empower women and girls through:

• Nutrition Training: Teaching families, communities, and schools how to prepare balanced meals and prevent nutrient deficiencies.
• Health Services: Expanding access to quality, gender-responsive health and nutrition care, while strengthening community capacity by training health workers and volunteers to identify malnutrition early and promote healthy, preventive eating practices.
• Sustainable Agriculture: Providing women and students with climate-smart agriculture training and resources to boost food production and resilience.
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Interventions: Improving access to clean water, building safe sanitation facilities, and promoting hygiene education to reduce disease and strengthen community health.
• Community Engagement: Partnering with men, local leaders, schools, NGOs, and government officials to challenge harmful gender norms and foster lasting social change.

This project is carried out in partnership with: