IMC-International Medical Corps April 25, 2014

IYCF IMC area of intervention Akobo East in 4 Payams 78 IYCF mother support group Maban, Host community and in two camps Gendrassa and Kaya (161 and 50 IYCF mother support group respectively) Malakal (Initially 120 groups, now 75 same mothers have left the PoC) Awerial, Kalthok Payam 48 IYCF groups members

How are this groups formed Community Nutrition Volunteers are trained on IYCF mother support care group model Community leaders informed/health actors CNVs share this message with the mothers, in the village or in a camp, share advantages of the model In PoCs or Camp; it is done as per the settlement pattern such as block and women are encouraged for form their own groups In stable and rural area where settlement is scattered, CNVs support mothers to form groups considering HHs near each other HHs

Main activities of the IYCF mother support group Meeting is bi-weekly as per group Supported and supervised by Community Nutrition volunteers IYCF charts are used to discuss various practices Mothers have time to share experiences, ask questions, fears and difficulties, how to overcome and so on Home visit of their group members that did not attend the session Visiting mothers not in the group and sharing the messages, we learnt that when 2-5 mothers visit a home it was more appropriate that 1 mother.

Need for Integration We noticed that some Mothers in the PoCs are experiencing difficult in breastfeeding, due to fear, stress and worries Need to IYCF partners to bring in other services such as psychosocial support services operating in the same groups. Counseling should not be one time, but continuous. Link Mothers to other services, support the disable, widows to be equally served in the community

Any Impact observed? Akobo Cumulative score exclusive breastfeeding 0-5 moths Baseline (Dec 2011) % KAP (Nov 2012) % SMART Survey 2013 Practice %

 LMs- Tally sheets, simple with use (tally)  Checklist (CNV checklist, and SBC /assistant, SBC Nutritionist check list)  Exit interview for mothers in ANC and in from maternity ward  SBC assistant- Attending care group sessions and providing guidance  Report-Tally sheets complied by CNV- SBC assistant- SBC nutritionist  Impact /Triangulation with surveys (SMART & KAP)

 IYCF need to be strengthened at Health facility level  Need for more innovative IYCF messaging (what other things can be attached to this? Other benefits to mothers in care groups)  Translations of IYCF counseling cards  Traditional believes (colostrum is spoiled milk)  More funds  Men Involvement

 Sharing IYCF messages with a group of women can be very instrumental, discussion forum  It is a great a venue to use nutrition feeding days to pass the messages  CNV selection done by local leader; so the aspect of working as a volunteer not seen

 There is need to incorporate opinion women leaders in the community to help in dissemination of IYCF messages  Men needs to be inclusive, thus lobby and creating awareness to be intensified  IYCF guidelines need to be finalized  More investment in IYCF

IYCF mother support group

Field events