Project profile — Active Communities for Healthy Mothers and Children in Bolivia

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased adoption of health-seeking behaviours in integrated maternal and child health and development by male/female caregivers, women of childbearing age, men and adolescents (girls-boys); (2) enhanced organization and participation of communities and civil society groups in areas related to integrated maternal child health and development (including water, hygiene and sanitation); and (3) improved implementation by municipal government of management models for integrated maternal and child health and development that contribute to gender equality.

Results achieved by the end of the project (December 2016) include: (1) contributed to the improvement of community-level indicators on nutrition and maternal and child health in the project area; (2) the percentage of women giving birth in the presence of a qualified health professional increased by 15%; (3) the project strengthened community-based potable water management and improved nutrition through the creation of over 1,000 community-based management committees and over 8,000 family gardens, producing nutritious vegetables and traditional foods; (4) chronic malnutrition rates for children decreased by 9% in the project area and programs encouraging fathers to engage in nurturing and caregiving roles within the family showed positive results; (5) early childhood development was improved through the establishment of 497 early childhood play and development centres; and (6) municipal health management was strengthened through the development of municipal health plans in over 95% of the project’s municipalities.