Community-based Nutrition Project in IDP camps in Kachin State World Concern Myanmar (WCM) proposes to implement key interventions that are crucial for child health, growth and development. As the 1,000-day period from pregnancy to the child’s second birthday is crucial, the intervention will ensure to include all pregnant women and lactating mothers living in the selected IDP camps In line with the 2017 HRP, the project will ensure equitable access to nutrition services for all boys and girls under the age of five (U5). While prioritizing pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in the nutrition intervention, the project will encourage both male and female caregivers to participate in the various activities, where possible, paying attention to identify and include women, men, and especially boys and girls, with disabilities.

The project will promote appropriate Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices through a variety of interventions such as awareness sessions to the larger community, behavioral change communication, individual counseling, mother groups and cooking demonstrations. This multilayered approach is important to ensure mothers are supported by their peers, by their community, and by trained counselors where needed. Nutrition programs in Myanmar (Nutrition CoP LIFT partners) and research (Father Involvement in Feeding Interactions with their young children, Am J Health Behavior 2016 March) have revealed that it is important to ensure that close family members -such as fathers, mothers, mothers-in-law – understand the importance of appropriate maternal, infant and young child feeding practices. This systems’ based approach increases opportunities for women to receive supported by multiple parties, with the required time and resources invested to create sustainable change. Discussions during the introduction meetings will be used to develop key messages that promote healthy behaviors.

WCM will work with the existing local implementing partner CHAD (Community Health and Development). WCM will mainly be responsible for building capacity of the CHAD field team by providing Training of Trainers (TOT), on-the-job coaching, providing advice and technical support. CHAD will do the day-to-day management and coordination. Furthermore, the 7 Field Officers of CHAD will support 30 community volunteers (around 4-5 volunteers per field officer). Each community volunteer –who are women from the community - will be trained and will lead their own mother group of around 20 women. The community volunteers will also complete monthly growth monitoring. With support from CHAD, the community volunteers will also conduct home visits for individual counseling to follow up  underweighted children and mothers, or by mother or fathers’ request for additional support, concerning breastfeeding or other child feeding problems.

Each mother group will include discussions and peer-to-peer learning on maternal and infant amp young child feeding practices. The group will also do participatory, age-appropriate, cooking sessions to address dietary diversity, consistency and meal frequency, focusing on the promotion of IYCF best practices. Children will be able to consume the meal together to encourage responsive feeding. These sessions also allow for opportunities to address cooking and hand hygiene. Mother’s groups are safe spaces for PLW to discuss lessons together, receive peer support, and address on-going challenges. These group sizes will be limited to approximately 20 women, to create a nurturing environment foster interpersonal collaboration and learning. 

WCM will actively involve all stakeholders in the monthly monitoring, and will facilitate quarterly review meetings with CHAD to allow for coordination, learning and problem solving.