Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition

Galleries

Group of people sitting outside under a tree

Concept Testing Tailors Community Videos to Local Context in Two Regions in Niger

SPRING and Digital Green used concept testing to gather community input to nutrition and hygiene focused videos in two regions in Niger.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Community media, Complementary feeding, Dietary diversity, Gender, Handwashing, Infant and young child feeding, Maternal nutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrition-sensitive, Family planning, Nutrition-specific, Social and behavior change communication, Thousand days, Training, Water, sanitation, and hygiene, Women's empowerment
Location: Niger
Photo of community volunteers participate in an ENA/EHA training Koro (May 2015)

SPRING/Mali In Review

These photos depict SPRING’s work implemented in the northern region of Mopti, Mali, from December 2014 to March 2016.

Keywords: Agriculture, Clean household approach, Complementary feeding, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrient-dense crops, Essential nutrition actions, Farmer nutrition school, Infant and young child feeding, Social and behavior change communication, Water, sanitation, and hygiene
Location: Mali
Ambassador Gwaltney plays with a SPRING volunteer’s baby boy (held by SPRING Chief of Party Michael Foley) after discussing the impact good nutrition information will make on their community and the next generation.

US Ambassador Joins SPRING to Improve Nutrition in Kyrgyz Republic

US Ambassador Sheila Gwaltney visited SPRING/Kyrgyzstan program working to improve nutrition outcomes among women and children in Naryn Oblast.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Communication, Essential nutrition actions, Gender, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Maternal nutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrition-specific, Social and behavior change communication
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
Mr. Adams George Ango (Kajuru LGA Nutrition Focal Person), Sascha Lamstein (SPRING Co-Principal Investigator), a C-IYCF Community Volunteer for Idon ward, Dr. Florence Oni (UNICEF/Kaduna Nutrition Specialist), and Rafael Perez-Escamilla (SPRING consultant, Principal Investigator).

Photos of Mid-Process Assessment of the Community Infant and Young Child Feeding Package in Nigeria

SPRING traveled to Kajuru LGA, Kaduna State, to conduct a mid-process assessment of the implementation of the Community Infant and Young Child Feeding (C-IYCF) counseling package in Nigeria...

Keywords: Infant and young child feeding, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition
Location: Nigeria
One-on-one counseling session, coaches-level training, Jos, Plateau state. 2015

SPRING/Nigeria Overview in Pictures

A pictorial review of SPRING's work in Nigeria over three years of implementation.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Infant and young child feeding, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, HIV/AIDS
Location: Nigeria
Young girls at market

SPRING Conducts Nutrition Assessment in Post-Ebola Guinea

In response to the Guinea Ebola outbreak, SPRING conducted a nutrition assessment to provide insights into nutrition status.

Keywords: Agriculture, Dietary diversity, Food security, Social and behavior change communication, Malnutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific
Location: Guinea

Activities

Women and children sitting outside

Concept Testing Tailors Community Videos to Local Context in Two Regions in Niger

SPRING and Digital Green gathered community input to nutrition and hygiene focused videos in two villages in Niger.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Community media, Complementary feeding, Dietary diversity, Family planning, Gender, Handwashing, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Maternal nutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific, Social and behavior change communication, Thousand days, Water, sanitation, and hygiene, Women's empowerment
Location: Niger
Teams from the training practice what they learn by making a test video on making peanut butter.

SPRING/Senegal Community Video Training with Digital Green

SPRING/Senegal and Digital Green conducted a training on the production and dissemination of community video to promote high impact nutrition and WASH behaviors.

Keywords: Community media, Handwashing, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Social and behavior change communication, Water, sanitation, and hygiene
Location: Senegal
Three people doing an assessment

Formative Research Assessment Highlights Locally Available Nutrient-Dense Crops and Key Hygiene Behaviors in Guinea

Findings to guide SPRING’s work to strengthen nutrition-sensitive agriculture in Guinea

Keywords: Nutrient-dense crops, Social and behavior change communication, Handwashing, Water, sanitation, and hygiene, Infant and young child feeding, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Agriculture, Nutrition-sensitive, Resiliency, Thousand days
Location: Guinea
A community activist meets with a group of people

Stimulating Social and Behavior Change in Kyrgyz Communities

SPRING is working at the community level to encourage social and behavior change around nutrition and hygiene, targeting 1,000 day households through various communication channels.

Keywords: Anemia, Breastfeeding, Complementary feeding, Dietary diversity, Handwashing, Maternal nutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Social and behavior change communication, Sustainability, Thousand days, Training, Water, sanitation, and hygiene
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
Two women smiling during training

Increasing Access to Quality Nutrition Services Through Trainings

SPRING conducts trainings for health care providers to improve the quality and quantity of nutrition services and counselling throughout the Kyrgyz Republic.

Keywords: Anemia, Breastfeeding, Complementary feeding, Infant and young child feeding, Maternal nutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Stunting, Supportive supervision, Training, Workforce
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
Video dissemination group training

The SPRING/Digital Green Collaboration

Since 2012, SPRING has been collaborating with its US- and India-based partner, Digital Green, in adapting their "human-mediated digital learning approach" for the promotion of key maternal...

Keywords: Community media, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Water, sanitation, and hygiene
Location: India
Screenshot of Counseling Cards

Evaluation of the Community IYCF Counseling Package

The main purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the C-IYCF Counseling Package in improving IYCF behaviors in an environment supportive of its design, management, technical...

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Infant and young child feeding, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Social and behavior change communication
Location: Nigeria
iycf support group member and baby

Contributing to National-Level Nutrition Coordination and Policy Efforts

SPRING and its partners catalyze national-level dialogue around nutrition and advocate for more funding and prioritization of the nutrition agenda.

Keywords: Communication, HIV/AIDS, Infant and young child feeding, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Multi-sector, Scaling up nutrition, Stunting, Thousand days
Location: Nigeria

News

Ambassador Gwaltney plays with SPRING volunteer’s baby boy (held by SPRING Chief of Party Michael Foley) after discussing the impact good nutrition information will make on their community and the next generation.

US Ambassador Joins SPRING to Improve Nutrition in Kyrgyz Republic

US Ambassador Sheila Gwaltney visited SPRING/Kyrgyzstan program working to improve nutrition outcomes among women and children in Naryn Oblast.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Communication, Essential nutrition actions, Gender, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Social and behavior change communication, Nutrition-specific, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Maternal nutrition
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
SPRING’s Study Coordinator, Ms. Susan Adeyemi interviews a Community Volunteer from Kasuwan Magani Ward.

Mid-Process Assessment of the Community Infant and Young Child Feeding Package in Nigeria Completed

Drs. Pérez-Escamilla and Lamstein recently conducted a mid-process assessment of implementation of the C-IYCF Counseling Package in Kajuru LGA, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Keywords: Infant and young child feeding, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition
Location: Nigeria
Minister of Health Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye visits the SPRING exhibit

IBFAN Africa Commits to Good Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition Practices

International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) Africa, in collaboration with IBFAN Uganda and the Government of Uganda, hosted the IBFAN Africa Regional Conference 2016 in Kampala.

Keywords: Infant and young child feeding, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition
Location: Uganda
Young girls at market

SPRING Conducts Nutrition Assessment in Post-Ebola Guinea

In post-Ebola Guinea, SPRING conducted a nutrition assessment to provide insights into nutrition status and inform a new workplan.

Keywords: Agriculture, Dietary diversity, Malnutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrition-sensitive, Food security, Social and behavior change communication, Nutrition-specific
Location: Guinea

Reports

Three women tending their crops

Mali: Final Country Report

SPRING/Mali officially launched in December 2014 with the support of our lead implementing partner, Helen Keller International (HKI). USAID/Mali tasked us with improving the nutritional...

Keywords: Thousand days, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Agriculture, Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific, Water, sanitation, and hygiene, Handwashing
Location: Mali
Shooting video of food preparation

Using a Community-Led Video Approach to Promote Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition in Odisha, India

The success of Digital Green in increasing the adoption of agriculture practices has attracted interest from other sectors, including nutrition. In October 2012, SPRING began a...

Keywords: Community media, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition
Location: India

Videos

A woman speaks with a doctor at a health clinic

Community Video (Niger): All Women Need Good Nutrition

Hassan is preparing to go on a journey. His wife, Maimouna, goes to the health center for her prenatal visit, where a health worker gives her iron and folic acid tablets (IFA) and discusses...

Keywords: Maternal nutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Breastfeeding
Location: Niger, Sahel

Events

Women's Empowerment Mitigates the Negative Effects of Low Production Diversity on Maternal and Child Nutrition in Nepal

Ag2Nut Community Call: Farm-level Pathways to Improved Nutritional Status: New Empirical Evidence from Africa and South Asia

In the December 2015 Ag2Nut call, the Community of Practice presented a synthesis of a set of eight new studies that empirically test, using data from Africa and South Asia, whether a...

Keywords: Dietary diversity, Malnutrition, Agriculture, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Women's empowerment
Location: Online

Series

Photo of women sitting in a circle

Community Video for Nutrition Guide

This Community Video for Nutrition Guide is a joint product of SPRING and Digital Green (DG), an international nongovernmental organization (NGO) registered in the United States and India....

Keywords: Community media, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Social and behavior change communication
Location: India

Case Studies

class learning

Digital Green: Amplifying Impact of Innovative Agricultural Practices in India

Poor farmers in low and middle income countries are often risk-averse and reluctant to adopt new methods of farming, since crop failure could potentially lead to extreme hardship. Digital...

Keywords: Social and behavior change communication, Community media, Agriculture, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition
Location: India
people learning from a teacher

Care Group: Reducing Malnutrition and Child Deaths in Mozambique

Between 2005 and 2010, Food for the Hungry (FH) applied the Care Group (CG) model in Sofala, Mozambique, with the aim of reaching more than 1 million pregnant women and women with children...

Keywords: Social and behavior change communication, Thousand days, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Water, sanitation, and hygiene
Location: Mozambique

Training Materials

Essential Nutrition Actions and Essential Hygiene Actions: A Reference Handbook for Peace Corps Volunteers and Community Volunteers

Essential Nutrition Actions and Essential Hygiene Actions: A Reference Handbook for Peace Corps Volunteers and Community Volunteers

The training aims to empower Peace Corps Staff, Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs), and Community Volunteers (CVs) with knowledge and proven-effective messages on women’s nutrition, infant and...

Keywords: Essential nutrition actions, Infant and young child feeding, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Workforce
Essential Nutrition Actions and Essential Hygiene Actions: A Four Hour Orientation for Peace Corps Volunteers and Community Volunteers

Essential Nutrition Actions and Essential Hygiene Actions: A Four Hour Orientation for Peace Corps Volunteers and Community Volunteers

The training aims to empower Peace Corps Staff, Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs), and Community Volunteers (CVs) with knowledge and proven-effective messages on women’s nutrition, infant and...

Keywords: Essential nutrition actions, Workforce, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Infant and young child feeding
Essential Nutrition Actions and Essential Hygiene Actions: A Training Guide for Peace Corps Health Volunteers and Peace Corps Staff

Essential Nutrition Actions and Essential Hygiene Actions: A Training Guide for Peace Corps Health Volunteers and Peace Corps Staff

The training aims to empower Peace Corps Staff, Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs), and Community Volunteers (CVs) with knowledge and proven-effective messages on women’s nutrition, infant and...

Keywords: Essential nutrition actions, Training, Workforce, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Infant and young child feeding
Essential Nutrition Actions and Essential Hygiene Actions: A Training Guide for Peace Corps Volunteers and Community Volunteers

Essential Nutrition Actions and Essential Hygiene Actions: A Training Guide for Peace Corps Volunteers and Community Volunteers

The training aims to empower Peace Corps Staff, Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs), and Community Volunteers (CVs) with knowledge and proven-effective messages on women’s nutrition, infant and...

Keywords: Essential nutrition actions, Workforce, Training, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Infant and young child feeding

Briefs

SBCC Pathways for Improved Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition Practices

SBCC Pathways for Improved Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition Practices

This document is a working paper and part of a broader effort by SPRING to document and disseminate evidence of effective social and behavior change communication (SBCC) approaches and...

Pages

Resource Review Summaries

Integrating and Strengthening Nutrition in Agriculture and Maternal and Child Health Programs in Guatemala: A Report on FANTA Activities from 2011 to 2017

FANTA’s legacy report highlights six years of technical assistance in Guatemala aiming to raise awareness of the need to invest in evidence-based nutrition services; strengthen...

Keywords: Agriculture, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition
Location: Guatemala

Women, Village Chickens, and Animal Source Food Consumption in Timor-Leste

In this blog, Johanna Wong, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Sydney, shares research findings from Timor-Leste about the promoters and inhibitors of animal source food consumption in...

Keywords: Agriculture, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Gender
Location: East Timor

Priority Interventions to Improve Maternal and Child Diets in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia- Maternal and Child Nutrition

Nutrition-sensitive interventions to improve overall diet quality are increasingly needed to improve maternal and child health. This study demonstrates feasibility of a structured process...

Keywords: Nutrition-sensitive, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition

CORE Group Global Health Practitioner Conference Spring 2017

CORE Group will host the Spring 2017 Global Health Practitioner Conference, Integrated Approaches: The Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Key to Community Health, on April 20 – 21, 2017 in...

Keywords: Anemia, Social and behavior change communication, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition

Background Study on Empowering Women through Investment in Livestock Value Chains: A Pathway for Improving Maternal and Child Nutrition in Northern Kenya

Approaches that improve women’s engagement in livestock value chains and their impact on women’s empowerment and maternal and child nutrition (MCN) can be powerful in improving women’s and...

Keywords: Agriculture, Women's empowerment, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition
Location: Kenya

Improving Dietary Diversity to Enhance Women’s and Children’s Nutritional Status in Guatemala’s Western Highlands: Recommendations for the Guatemalan Agriculture Sector

The agriculture sector has a significant role to play in improving the nutritional status of women and children. Strengthening the link between agriculture and nutrition is critical to...

Keywords: Agriculture, Dietary diversity, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrient-dense crops
Location: Guatemala

Adapting Agriculture Platforms for Nutrition: A Case Study of a Participatory, Video-Based Agricultural Extension Platform in India

This study examines the feasibility of delivering maternal, infant, and young child nutrition behavior change communication through an innovative agricultural extension program serving...

Keywords: Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Social and behavior change communication, Agriculture
Location: India

Planning an Integrated Agriculture and Health Program and Designing its Evaluation: Experience from Western Kenya

In response to persistently poor maternal, newborn and child health indicators in low income countries, governments, non-governmental organizations and international donors have intensified...

Keywords: Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Multi-sector, Agriculture
Location: Kenya

Improving Women’s Nutrition Imperative for Rapid Reduction of Childhood Stunting in South Asia: Coupling of Nutrition Specific Interventions with Nutrition Sensitive Measures Essential

Reducing stunting in South Asia requires the coordination of nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions, especially measures that lead to improved nutritional status for...

Keywords: Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific, Adolescents, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Agriculture

First 1,000 Days

In his new book, journalist Roger Thurow tells stories of mothers and babies worldwide to explore the effort to end childhood malnutrition. Thurow highlights the importance of proper...

Keywords: Thousand days, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Agriculture
Location: Uganda, India, Guatemala, United States

What Drives and Constrains Effective Leadership in Tackling Child Undernutrition? Findings from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India and Kenya

Strong leadership has been identified as a common element of success within countries that have made rapid progress in tackling child and maternal undernutrition. This study of 89...

Keywords: Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition

Agricultural Interventions for Improved Nutrition: A Review of Livelihood and Environmental Dimensions

After reviewing 42 evaluations of agricultural interventions for improved maternal and child nutrition, the authors of this article identify three intervention typologies – enhancement,...

Keywords: Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Agriculture

Nutrition Focus at the 68th World Health Assembly, May 16-18, 2015

The 68th World Health Assembly (WHA) was held in Geneva, Switzerland, bringing together World Health Organization Member States to focus on key milestones for nutrition toward achieving the...

Keywords: Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition

Multi-sectoral Approaches to Nutrition: Nutrition-Specific and Nutrition-Sensitive Interventions to Accelerate Progress

This overview from the Maternal and Young Child Nutrition Security Initiative in Asia outlines linkages between nutrition and a variety of development sectors. The brief re-examines the...

Keywords: Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Multi-sector, Malnutrition, Nutrition-specific, Nutrition-sensitive
Location: Asia