This initiative aims to improve the health and nutrition status of poor and vulnerable mothers, newborns and children in select regions by working with local health authorities. It directly addresses malnutrition in the first 1000 days of children's lives in targeted districts and informs national nutrition policies in the targeted countries. Malnutrition is the cause of over 3 million child deaths annually and results in non-communicable conditions, such as stunting, wasting and anemia, as well as poor motor, cognitive and social development. The project is being implemented in Bangladesh (Thakurgaon District), Myanmar (Thabaung Township), Kenya (Elgeyo Marakwet county) and Tanzania (Singida and Shinyanga Regions).The effects of malnutrition in these countries are significant with serious social and economic implications. Such conditions are especially pronounced in rural regions, such as those targeted by the project. The project is expected to contribute directly to the improved health of approximately 1.64 million individuals, including more than 674,000 women, 553,000 children and 418,000 men, and indirectly reach an estimated 2.1 million individuals who are not targeted by the project but who benefit from the strengthened health system and improved health services. Policy changes in nutrition and wider application of existing policies as a result of the project advocacy efforts also have a positive impact on indirect beneficiaries. The sexual and reproductive health component of this project will directly benefit 1,284,533 people, including 549,182 women of reproductive age and 93,430 children under two years of age. Other direct beneficiaries include 309,728 adolescents (10-19 year old girls and boys), 332,194 adult men, and 2,148 service providers at facility and community levels. In addition, the initiative’s activities targeting Canadian awareness of MNCH are expected to reach over 3 million Canadians. Project activities include: (1) recruiting, training and equipping community healthcare workers to promote and provide basic health services; (2) training local health councils in improved data collection, analysis and reporting to inform planning and delivery of maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services; (3) raising awareness of primary caretakers on key nutritional practices, including dietary diversity; (4) providing inputs and training in the development of home gardens; (5) training of peer-based networks/care groups on malnutrition prevention and sexual and reproductive health rights issues (i.e. family planning, early forced child marriage, sexual gender-based violence; (6) informing and increasing community participation in policy dialogue with governments on MNCH and sexual and reproductive health and rights; and, (7) implementing interactive media and linking Canadians with empowered youth in a mentorship program to improve the knowledge and ability of Canadians to engage in international MNCH, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender issues. It is implemented by World Vision Canada in collaboration with the Micronutrient Initiative, HarvestPlus, the Canadian Society for International Health, and the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Project implementation is also supported by the following local partners: in Bangladesh: World Vision Bangladesh, Institute of Public Health Nutrition, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh - Office of the Civil Surgeon Thakugaon; in Myanmar: World Vision Myanmar, Thabaung Township Health Department; in Kenya: World Vision Kenya, Ministry of Health - Divison of Family Health, Ministry of Health Services - Elgeyo Marakwet County; in Tanzania: World Vision Tanzania, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre.
