Community Development and Nutrition Education in Banke District, Nepal: Effect on Child Health and Growth
Phase: NA
Conditions: Malnutrition
Sponsor: Tufts University

Community Development and Nutrition Education in Banke District, Nepal: Effect on 
Child Health and Growth 
 
Today’s date:  April 20, 2018 
 
Date of Approval of Study Protocol by Tufts IRB:  October 2, 2014 
 
NCT:  not yet available 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Study protocol 
Throughout Nepal, small community organizations approach Heifer to request inputs.  Because 
of high demand for these inputs, Heifer responds to these requests sequentially.  For this 
investigation, similar community organizations (all located in the Banke district of Nepal) which 
have requested Heifer inputs will be matched based on specific characteristics, including size, 
altitude, income profiles, type of agriculture practiced, current livestock inventories, availability 
of medical services, family size, household income, castes, feeding practices, local natural 
resources (e.g., fresh water, wood for fuel, etc.), educational level of adult community members, 
nutritional status of children, and known local health risks (e.g. lead exposure, iodine 
deficiency).  Leaders of these community organizations will be informed about the project and 
invited to participate.  Matched clusters of households willing to participate will be identified 
and randomly assigned to one of three arms of the investigation: (1) Full Heifer inputs (including 
training in social capital, community development, livestock management, and nutrition), (2) 
livestock management and nutrition training only, or (3) control group.  After the investigation is 
complete, the Control group communities will receive full Heifer inputs (training in social 
capital, community development, livestock management, and nutrition) and the Training Only 
Group will receive social capital and community development training.  Thus, all communities 
will receive the complete package of Heifer social capital, community development, livestock 
management, and nutrition training; only the timing for these activities will be altered to allow 
the study of suitable comparison groups.   
 
Data collection methods. Trained field enumerators will visit each household every 6 months for 
2 years (total 5 visits: baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months).  At each visit, a 
questionnaire will be administered to the mother in the household or the household head 
(estimated 1 hr completion).  All children from ages 1 month to 7 yrs 11 months will be weighed, 
and height, head circumference, and mid upper-arm circumference will be measured.  Thus, 
mothers (or household head) and children in the target age range will be research participants.