Action - Alive & Thrive - Breastfeeding promotion and/or counselling - Infants and young children

Programme: Alive & Thrive

Programme description

Alive & Thrive (A&T) is a 6-year initiative (2009-2014) to improve infant and young child nutrition by increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding and improving complementary feeding practices. The goal is reductions in mortality and stunting. A&T aims to reach more than 16 million children under 2 years old in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Viet Nam through household, community, health facility, and mass media interventions. The objectives are to: create delivery models in three distinct learning environments that improve IYCF practices at scale and can be replicated in other parts of the world; document impact, cost, and cost-effectiveness of IYCF interventions; foster innovation through a grants program; and disseminate learnings from A&T models, innovations, operations research, and evaluations.

Programme type

Multi-national

Cost

$78.6 million

References

 www.aliveandthrive.org

It has publications, program descriptions, tools, stories, videos, and other resources.

Status: 
On-going

Start date:

January
2010

End date:

January
2013
Area: 
Urban
Rural
Peri-urban
Place: 
four most populous regions (and the chartered cities) in more than 360 districts
Target group: 
Infants and young children
Age group: 
Infants and children under 2 years
Delivery: 
Community-based
Media
Implementation details : 

Strategy 1. Policy dialogue

Policymakers often fail to recognize the impact of poor feeding practices on infant survival, educational potential, and economic development. The result is a lack of investment in interventions to reduce undernutrition and the absence of supportive legislation and policies.

Action plan

  • Raise understanding of Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) issues and achieve consensus, sustained commitment, and support for good IYCF practices in the workplace, marketplace, and health system through targeted advocacy
  • Build capacity of organizations and individuals to address gaps in the policy and regulatory environment

Strategy 2. Service delivery and behavior change communication

Alive & Thrive (A&T) applies well-tested marketing principles to improve IYCF practices.

Action plan

  • Assess critical feeding problems, constraints, and opportunities for improvement
  • Develop and implement targeted communication strategies based on consumer research
  • Reach caregivers and those who influence their feeding decisions through individual, community, and mass media interventions
  • Strengthen skills and performance of community-based workers

Strategy 3. Fortified complementary foods and related products

Many local diets fail to meet the nutritional requirements of children 6-24 months old. The private sector can help by producing and marketing affordable fortified products.

Action plan

  • Establish partnerships with multiple manufacturers, distributors, and government ministries
  • Increase product choice, access, and affordability
  • Improve compliance with codes and standards
  • Promote public education on good feeding practices and use of local foods and commercial products
Target population size : 
5.4 million children
Coverage level (%): 
Alive & Thrive (A&T) aims to improve IYCF by reaching 5.4 million children under 2 years old primarily through intensive community-based interventions in the four most populous regions (and the chartered cities) in more than 360 districts .
Outcome indicator(s): 

Stunting/HAZ; Core WHO IYCF indicators; Early initiation of breastfeeding; Exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months; Continued breastfeeding at 1 year; Introduction of solid, semi-solid or soft foods; Minimum dietary diversity; Minimum meal frequency; Minimum acceptable diet; Consumption of iron-rich or iron-fortified foods; Anemia (Bangladesh only)

M&E system: 

A&T aims to document impact, cost, and cost-effectiveness of IYCF interventions and generate learning on how to achieve and replicate the projectメs impact.

Action plan

  • Use rigorous mixed-method impact evaluations for major community, media, and private sector interventions
  • Evaluate policy advocacy and private sector partnerships using qualitative methods
  • Conduct operations research and implementation monitoring
  • Conduct cost studies
Outcome reported by social determinants: 
Vulnerable groups

Tabs

Revision log

DateUserLogState
Tue, 03/11/2014 - 17:01engesveenkEdited by admin.published
Wed, 03/27/2013 - 16:12bloessnermEdited by admin.published
Thu, 11/22/2012 - 14:57ginaContribEdited by admin.draft
Tue, 11/13/2012 - 12:51ginaContribEdited by admin.draft
Mon, 11/12/2012 - 17:46william_nkoomBangladesh: 50 sub-districts and national media (deleted from location; Anaemia removed from outcome indicator since this pertains to only Bangladesh. Edited by AnnaLartey.draft