RACHA MORE THAN TWO DECADES OF IMPROVING HEALTH CARE

The Reproductive and Child Health Alliance (RACHA) was established in 2003 as a local non-governmental organization (NGO) in Cambodia and duly registered with the Ministry of Interior (MoI), approved by-laws with registration number 123. RACHA was created through a partnership formed by USAID/Cambodia of three Global Health Bureau projects, SEATS, BASICS and EngenderHealth (previously known as AVSC) which ran from 1996 to 2003.

RACHA’s mission is to improve the lives of individuals and communities by making essential health services including reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health, nutrition, clean water, sanitation, hygiene, infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS and other related services - safe, available, accessible, and sustainable. Between 2003 and 2018, RACHA was primarily funded by USAID, but RACHA had also significant funded by other donors and international organizations such as the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Pfizer Inc., The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), HealthNet International, OXFAM America, East Meets West (EMW)/Gates Foundation, World Bank, Fintrac /HARVEST, The Asia Foundation (TAF), Stichting Kinderpostzegels-Nederland, World Food Program (WFP), WHO, UNFPA, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), Latter-day Saint Charities (LDSC), US-CDC, JHPIEGO, Care International, Health Unlimited (HU), Management Sciences for Health (MSH), Catalyst Pathfinder Inter’l, Japanese Embassy, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), DKSH Cambodia Ltd., The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)/EU, Global Fund round 9, UNICEF, and International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI),

On September 30, 2014, RACHA signed a $15 million Cooperative Agreement with USAID for Empowering Communities for Health (ECH) project implemented in nine provinces covering 82 administrative districts, 588 health centers and 7,361 villages. The approach to this project will focus on three key elements that underpin community empowerment: 1. Financial and institutional sustainability, 2. Gender differentiated strategies and activities in communities, 3. Linkages to national level policy makers. With three objectives: i) Strengthen health systems and governance; ii) Improve maternal and child health practices in communities; and iii) Improve effectiveness and efficiency of infectious disease programs (TB) component.

Since its establishment as an NGO, RACHA has become a leader in advancing the health of the Cambodian people through clearly targeted, sustainable, and responsive health programs. RACHA is a strong strategic partner of the Ministry of Health (MoH) with respect to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health, nutrition, WASH and infectious diseases at all levels. RACHA has been a valuable member of the National Nutrition, Maternal Child Health and the Implementation of Social Accountability Framework (ISAF) Sub-Technical Working Group. RACHA is also a member Partnership Steering Committee for I-SAF Phase I. RACHA works to strengthen existing MoH services through appropriate technical support, improved resource management, and collaborative partnerships and linkages. A key focus of RACHA’s approach is the translation of MoH policy and program priorities into high quality and effective interventions to improve access and availability of quality essential services at the community level.

Within the projects, RACHA has developed the core competency in the field of research, monitoring, data analysis and evaluation. Additionally in 2015, RACHA has established a strong link with the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development (NCDD) of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) for the ISAF and other related Ministries.

RACHA MORE THAN TWO DECADES OF IMPROVING HEALTH CARE

• Community Maternal, Newborn and Child Health a five year project funded by USAID;
• Women and Youth SfC Groups Creating Their Own Economic Opportunity funded by Oxfam-America;
• Empowering Women and Youth SfC Groups created their own economic opportunity funded by ADRA;
• Right’s based Family Planning and Maternal Newborn Health project funded by GFA/GIZ;      
• Sustainable Community-Based Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) including Children affected by HIV & AIDS funded by Stichting Kinderpostzegels, Nederlands;
• Global Programme Food and Nutrition Security, Enhanced Resilience funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) (GFA/GIZ);
• Community Health Support Project, implementing in 8 provinces by RACHA;
• Multi-micronutrient fortified rice at workplace funded by  International Life  Science Institute (ILSI);
• The Empowering Communities for Health (ECH) Project, funded by USAID;
• The MyHealth, longitudinal study on maternal and child nutrition funded by  UNICEF;

Current projects as follows:

• Support demand-side Implementation of Social Accountability Framework in 6 provinces (Kompong Speu, Pursat, Battambong, Pailin, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap)  funded by RACHA Community Health Support Project;
• Implement Social Accountability  Better Public Service Delivery  awarded by World Vision International (WVI) Cambodia/ Europe Aid implementing in Pursat Province; 
• Innovation for Social Accountability in Cambodia (ISAC) implementing in Siem Reap Province funded by FHI360/USAID; 
• Community Health Support Project in 8 provinces (Pursat, Battambong, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Svay Rieng, Prey Veng, Koh Kong and Kampot)  in Cambodia and 2 townships in Yangon, Myanmar funded by RACHA community health support project;
• The Multi-Sectoral Food Security Cambodia (MUSEFO) Project is a part of the Global Programme "Food and Nutrition Security, Enhanced Resilience" under the "One World – No Hunger" Special Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ),  implementing in 2 provinces, Kampot and Kampong Thom provinces funded by GIZ/BMZ; 
• Provide administrative service to GFA on the Health Equity and Quality Improvement  program (H-EQIP) funded by GFA;
• Community Health Support Project in Kampot province funded by Partnership for Development (PFD),
• Engaging citizens to improve service delivery through social accountability project in Preah Sihanouk province, funded by WVI/World Bank.
• Monitoring of Cambodia Nutrition Project funded by the Bank Information Center (BIC) based in Washington DC.

In conclusion, RACHA has been implementing a wide-range of projects including evaluation studies, monitoring activities, and interventions aiming at improving the quality of delivered public services at health facilities, primary schools, and commune administrative services at the sub-national level in its target provinces. Ensure transparency and promote people’s participation, the voice and the needs of women, men and vulnerable groups of public services are crucial which contributes toward the strengthening of local democratic governance.