Where healthier futures begin: How REACTS-IN transforms nutrition, health and gender equality

Joy was 14 when she realized she had nowhere safe to ask the questions crowding her mind. Puberty felt confusing and isolating, and she wasn't sure who could help her understand what was happening to her body or what rights she had. Her story begins quietly—in a classroom in Kenya —where a school-based health and rights program gives her the knowledge, confidence and support she had been missing.

Joy's story is one of many unfolding across Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania, often beginning with moments that seem small at first: a conversation that once felt too difficult to have, a visit from a community health worker or neighbours deciding to work together toward a shared goal.

About REACTS-IN

Funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, REACTS-IN (Realizing Gender Equality, Attitudinal Change & Transformative Systems in Nutrition is improving nutrition, strengthening health services and promoting gender equality across five countries. Working alongside local partners, World Vision helps strengthen local systems, build practical skills, and champion solutions that continue long after the project ends.

Across the places where the project is at work, measurable progress is already taking shape, from healthier child feeding practices and increased maternal nutrition knowledge to stronger participation in reproductive health decision-making and greater use of essential health services. The stories that follow offer a glimpse of how these changes are taking shape in the lives of children, families, and communities.

Breaking the silence: Adolescent health education in Kenya and Bangladesh

For many young people, the journey toward a healthier future begins with having the confidence to ask questions they once felt unable to voice.

In Kenya, Joy's school-based program helped students learn about their bodies, their rights and how to seek help when something felt wrong. The program also engaged boys, supporting students like Kimutai to resist peer pressure, make healthy decisions and become positive influences among their peers.

"I am no longer ashamed of the changes in my own body. The program has given me confidence, knowledge, and the courage to speak up when I need help." — Joy

A similar transformation is unfolding in Bangladesh. There, 16-year-old Tonni joined an Adolescent Girls Power Group, where girls can ask questions, learn together and support one another. With encouragement from her Community Facilitator, Tonni sought care for her health concerns, regained confidence in her well-being, and now shares what she has learned with other adolescent girls, helping them break the silence she once experienced.

A second chance to thrive: Community nutrition services in Somalia

While knowledge empowers prevention, timely care can mean the difference between recovery and loss.

In Baidoa, Somalia, Habibo feared she would lose her nine-month-old daughter, Aisha, after severe acute malnutrition left her weak and unable to grow. During a routine household visit, community health workers recognized the warning signs and referred Aisha for immediate treatment through REACTS-IN-supported nutrition services.

Alongside Aisha's treatment, Habibo learned practical ways to care for her daughter and received support to establish a kitchen garden, helping her family maintain access to nutritious food. Within weeks, Aisha recovered from severe acute malnutrition and began growing stronger.

By identifying children early, linking families to timely treatment and equipping caregivers with practical guidance, the program supports children's recovery while strengthening families' capacity to support their well-being long after treatment ends.

Stronger together: Health education and livelihoods support in Tanzania

Sometimes the most significant transformation happens not in one person, but across an entire community.

In Sangamwampuya village, Tanzania, Eva joined a Nurturing Care Group to learn about child health and nutrition. As families deepened their understanding, they also recognized the financial barriers that made it difficult to put that learning into practice. In response, community members formed a Save for Transformation group, pooling small weekly contributions to launch income-generating activities that improved household nutrition while strengthening family livelihoods.

"REACTS-IN gave us the knowledge and opportunity; we gave each other courage." — Eva

Today, what began as health education has grown into a community-led movement.

Families have greater access to nutritious food. Fathers are taking a more active role in caring for their children. Neighbours are investing in solutions that will continue strengthening their community for years to come.

By investing in local leadership and community ownership, this approach is laying the foundation for progress that communities can carry forward themselves.

Building Enduring Impact

Although these journeys began in different communities, they point to the same truth: healthier futures are built when people have the support, practical skills and opportunities to lead change themselves.

Whether it begins with a question asked in a classroom, a timely visit from a community health worker or neighbours coming together around a shared purpose, meaningful change grows when communities are equipped to shape their own future.

That is where healthier futures begin.