Infant and young child feeding

Kyrgyz Community Comes Together to Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week

To commemorate World Breastfeeding Week 2016, SPRING staff in Kyrgyz Republic and community leaders in the town of Kara Kul, held a community gathering that connected local health workers and families to raise awareness around the multiple benefits of optimal breastfeeding practices, including exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and continued breastfeeding to 2 years and beyond.

U.S. Congressional Delegation Visits SPRING/Senegal

A delegation of U.S. congressional staffers visited SPRING/Senegal programs on Tuesday, August 2, 2016, as part of a week-long tour of health programs in Senegal arranged by USAID and World Vision.

Nigeria's Nutrition-Savvy Dads

A farmer, David Kershima lives in Mbaiam community in Benue State. He and his wife joined a community-based infant and young child feeding (C-IYCF) support group in June 2014, when his wife was almost nine months pregnant with their first child. SPRING builds the capacity of local partner organizations to create awareness of IYCF through community sensitization meetings and the establishment of IYCF support groups.

Putting Training into Practice for Better Infant and Young Child Nutrition in Nigeria

Mary Ohamije, a community volunteer in Eror, a remote area of Nigeria, attended a three-day training on the value of C-IYCF. As a result of the training, she and her husband continue to educate other households about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding.

Job Aid: Comfortable Breastfeeding Positioning: Cradle and Underarm Holds

SPRING/Ghana developed a series of videos to facilitate counseling for infant and young child feeding. In this video, a woman demonstrates how to comfortably position a nursing infant using underarm and cradle holds.

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

In June 2016, SPRING and Digital Green conducted community video concept testing in two regions in Niger. Facilitators used image cards to collect feedback on scenarios for nutrition and hygiene-focused videos from a total of 14 women and 12 men in Droum Kafé and El Kolta villages. The facilitators solicited feedback that reflected the participants’ understanding of the promoted behaviors, their perception of feasibility in their communities, and their suggestions for adjustments to the story lines.

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

In June 2016, SPRING and Digital Green began conducting concept testing in two regions in Niger in preparation for developing a series of community videos. Concept testing is a means of involving audiences in production and ensuring videos are adapted to the local context. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of community uptake of the promoted behaviors.

Realigning Agriculture to Improve Nutrition (RAIN) Project: Impact Evaluation Report

IFPRI and Concern Worldwide, May 2016.

Preventing Environmental Enteric Dysfunction through Improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: An Opportunity for Stunting Reduction in Developing Countries: The Impoverished Gut and Stunting Reduction

Maternal & Child Nutrition, May 2016.

SPRING/Mali In Review

SPRING’s work in Mali aimed to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable women and children. The project promoted the growth and consumption of nutritious and diverse diets through community gardens convened by Farmer Field Schools, which combined training in nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices and the promotion of nutrition-specific behaviors. SPRING trained 5,500 famers and distributed 11,000 moringa, baobob, and papaya saplings.