Humanitarian mission improves health conditions of schoolchildren in Ethiopia. The case of Adwa

Objective: The objective of this study is to compare health conditions of schoolchildren receiving aids from the mission Kidane Mehret Integrated Project (KMIP) in the city of Adwa, Ethiopia, with the ones of the general population. Methods: From September, 2008, to November, 2008, 400 children were randomly selected in the school inside KMIP and in the one of Adi Abetu. In phase 1, a questionnaire was distributed to children’s families. In phase 2, children underwent physical examination. Results: Girls from KMIP started weaning on average at 7.3±3.9 vs 8.3±4.7 months of the control group (p>0.05); boys from KMIP started weaning on average at 6.7±4.1 vs 8.7±5.1 months of the control group (p<0.01). Centiles for height for age, weight for age and BMI for age were significantly higher in girls attending KMIP compared to the control group. Conclusions: Merged data suggests the significant impact of KMIP on the schoolchildren of Adwa. Moreover, women and youngest children, usually the most discriminates, were the band of the society that benefited most from the aids coming from the mission.