The Korean Government through KOICA (Korean International Cooperation Agency) signed a $4.5-million (around Rwf2.8billion) partnership agreement with UNICEF for a three-year programme to save lives of children and mothers in Rwanda’s 10 districts.

With the support from KOICA, UNICEF will work with the government of Rwanda in its efforts to scale up and enhance maternal, newborn, and child health interventions in line with the country’s second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II) and Vision 2020.

"We are very pleased to have a partnership with UNICEF for this project. I believe it will contribute to Rwandan people’s health, especially mothers and newborn children. Mothers and children are the future of the country. I think we are not just supporting to save lives but also investing in the future of Rwanda,” said Kim Sang-Chul, Rwanda Resident Representative of KOICA during the signing ceremony recently.

More specifically, KOICA’s support will help UNICEF and the Government of Rwanda to enhance safe motherhood for more than 140,000 mothers with newborns and to detect early signs of stunting for more than 250,000 under-two age children and treat them.

The programme will also ensure effective tracking and provision of child health services including immunisation and community case management for under-five children across the country.