On behalf of the NOURISH Project, we are proud to announce the release of a paper reporting on our first look at the multi-sectoral nutrition Grow Together Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) campaign, after a mid-term survey which assessed nine of 13 core behaviors. 

The paper describes the campaign design process, which brought three sectors (health/nutrition, WASH and agriculture) together into a unified, layered and carefully sequenced call to action for the first 1,000 days for families in rural Cambodia.

Results showed significant and positive change in utilization of health and nutrition services; complementary feeding practices; WASH; and the proportion of caregivers of children under two with nutrient-rich home gardens and who feed their young children fish or small fish powder, an important animal source food (ASF) beneficial for growth and development. In some instances, caregivers with higher exposure and participation were significantly more likely to practice select behaviors. 

With funding from USAID and Feed the Future, NOURISH works to accelerate stunting reduction by focusing directly on several of the key causal factors of chronic malnutrition specific to Cambodia—poverty; lack of access to quality food and nutrition services; unsanitary environments; and social norms and practices that work against optimal growth and development. NOURISH is led by Save the Children with support from The Manoff Group, SNV USA, Wathnakpheap, Operations Enfants du Cambodge and Partners in Compassion.