Scale-up

On November 7, 2016, SPRING/Sierra Leone and Helen Keller International (HKI) hosted a learning event in Lumley Beach, Sierra Leone, to share findings from three assessments conducted in Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone. The three assessments were a barrier analysis and an adapted value chain analysis on fish and pumpkin consumption, and an assessment of a trials of improved practice (TIPs) study on infant feeding behavior and critical hygiene actions in the first 1,000 days.

Working with a team of eight trained data collectors, SPRING staff in Uganda conducted a midline assessment through key informant interviews with MNP users and distributors to inform efforts to strengthen micronutrient powder (MNP) distribution. Caretakers of children eligible for MNP use (between 6 and 23 months of age), village health teams (VHT), and facility-based health workers answered questions about the successes they have seen in the program so far, as well as the barriers that need to be addressed.

Experts from across several sectors are meeting this week in Bangkok at the Asia regional Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy Global Learning & Evidence Exchange (MSN-GLEE) hosted by SPRING in partnership with USAID. This diverse group of USAID Mission staff, implementing partners, and academics will discuss multi-sectoral approaches to address malnutrition and plan for global action. The attendees represent programs in social and behavior change communications (SBCC), humanitarian response, agriculture, women’s empowerment, health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).