ISSUE 2: SEPTEMBER 2020 NEWSLETTER Funded by the European Union with the co-funding support from Austrian Development Cooperation, JANO will work with the Government to support the effective implementation of the National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NPAN). The project will contribute to ending malnutrition of children below five years of age, together with addressing the nutritional needs of Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW) and adolescent girls in Rangpur and Nilphamari Districts. KEY PROJECT PROGRESS SchoolManagement Committee (SMC) 624 CSGs prepared service 624 CSGs members received training TheVolunteers, along withCSG, the Non-Project 71) have developed Union 135 UnionParishad’s (Project-64, action plans developed 410 with effective engagement and have beenincreasingly functioning nutrition services. Parishad and service providers for 25 advocacy workshops withUnion nutrition plan. Ithas also organized incorporating thoseintheUDCC unions andnegotiated for requirement andshared thosein64 nutrition-related services. and UnionParishads for negotiating withCommunity Clinics adolescent girlsand are also Courtyard session withmothers and plan andhave organized 10056 and completed yearly nutritionaction nutrition services. empowerment andincreased included intheprocess of result, womenandgirlsare now female and659829 Counselling, amongthem710275 are handwashing messages through received nutritional, COVID19 and 1370104 community peoples are nutritional messages andalso and theircaretaker received lactating mothers, adolescent girls session atotal of89,938 pregnant, Courtyard session, through this project sofar conducted 10056 half-yearly nutrition are male. Asa Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chain Study, Withthe supportfrom JANO, Kaunia Aspart ofTechnology Dissemination, Suggestion boxes have beenplaced in were conducted. national-level, validation workshops including tworegional andone fodder cuttings to thefarmers. the orientation andULO distributed including 4CSG members received farming. 15farmers (women14 ) fodder cultivation practices for dairy promoting knowledge onimproved demonstration (Pukchong variety) for orientation session onfodder Livestock Office conducted an Potato, andVegetables. Demonstrations setuponRice, Sweet JANO supported Farmer training and quality ofservice/education. dissatisfaction/suggestions regarding people/students can place their madrasas sothatcommunity Parishads and330schools 208 Community Clinics, 64Union for PLW. in theUpazila NutritionActionPlan 14 UNCC incorporate UDCC's demand net program for PLW. to ensure supportofthesocial safety CSG's inUnionNutritionActionPlan 64 UDCC's incorporate thedemandof Action Plan by UNCC. has developed theUpazila Nutrition 14 Upazila (Project-07, Non-Project 07) Nutrition ActionPlan by UDCC. WEBINAR TO DISCUSS THE RESULTS OF A RESEARCH ON VALUE CHAIN and non-government organization ambassadors of different Government delegates oftheEuropean Union, the chiefguest oftheprogram. The Extension department was present as of theDepartment ofAgricultural Dr M.AbdulMueed,theDirector-General opinions from theguests ontheissue. findings oftheresearch thatseek The webinarhas disseminated the napkins andsanitized washrooms. popular WASHitems were sanitary cultivate for thewomen.Themost These homestead items were easy to banana, papaya, fresh dairyitems etc. vegetables, tomato, beans, okra, Among them,there were pumpkin,leafy identified thetop-ranked food items. malnutrition. From theresearch, we proper sanitation, can helpbattle ensuring safe water, cleanliness and gardens andrearing cattle along with of highly nutritiousfoods inhomestead JANO project to findhowthecultivation study has beenconducted underthe of research onthevalue chain. The August 27, 2020, to publishthefindings project(JANO) organized awebinaron Joint Actionfor NutritionOutcome Sector partnerships incoming days. opportunities to accelerate Private JANO isalso capitalizing such distribution networkto last mile reach. fortified foods andstrengthening their JANO for promoting nutritiousand showing interest to beengaged with outcome. Private sectors’ isalready interventions to bringtheintended the recommendations andexplore will harness thepossibilities inlinewith private sector isneeded.JANOproject necessary andvital supportfrom the low-cost sanitary napkinsandtoilets is out alternative ways ofproducing etc. Discussants also addedthatfinding leaf, sweet potato, egg,fortified grain, highly nutritiousfood suchas moringa advice: cultivation oflow-cost but the research, they came upwiththeir safe food. Inadditionto thefindings of emphasized theimportance ofensuring present onoccasion. Discussants experts concerned andjournalists were partners, academicians, practitioners, related to theresearch, development JANO FACEBOOKCLASS INITIATIVE are getting theopportunity ofself-learning on quality lessons andlearning tips. Students for the studentsthrough JANOFacebook page virtual platform, thusenabling environment The purposeofthesessions was to create a classes through theproject's Facebook page. Education Officer, theproject initiated online Education Officer andUpazila Secondary Secondary Education, DistrictSecondary With thesupportfrom Deputy Director areas butintheoverall country as awhole. education, notonly limited to theproject an initiative to continue theschool Nutrition Outcome project (JANO) has taken As aresponse to thesituationJointActionfor which relies fully on-schoolbased education. especially for theschool-going children impact ontherural education system, lockdown has hadanenormousnegative Besides hurtingthenational economy, the schools to halt thespread ofthevirus. movement includingshuttingdownof countrywide lockdown, restricting people's , theGovernment has enforced a the COVID-19 outbreak inearly March in system, especially intheremote areas. Since been adversely disruptingtheeducation In Bangladesh, theCOVID-19 pandemic has PEOPLE REACHED 10,615 the project areas. a great response from thestudentsaround have uploaded, andtheproject has received the subjectabove matters. Sofar, 19classes nationwide to learn andremain updated, on of studentsintheproject areas andalso numbers. Thisinitiative ishelpingthousands the teachers, onthescreened mobile phone being conducted by directly calling ortexting minutes, andthequestion-answer session is page. Each class iscontinuing for around 20 sequentially ontheJANOFacebook group and theproject isuploading thecourses Nilphamari Districts)recorded thoseclasses, from andeightfrom 9. Atotal of17teachers from 17schools(9 hygiene issues for thestudentsofClass 8and Movement inSchools(GEMS) andhealth psychological counselling, GenderEquity Bangla, Mathematics,Science, Nutrition, total of52 classes onEnglish, Social Science, This initiative issupportingtheconduct ofa their students,through avirtual platform. for theteachers where they can engage with the lockdown stage andiscreating aspace improve theirpsycho-social condition during This initiative isalso helpingthestudents,to through virtual interaction withtheteachers. ENGAGEMENTS 1,384 in thecommunity respects meandvalues my workwhichisaBIGthing!" result nooneinourcommunity isinfected sofar. For all my initiative everyone on howto keep themselves andthesociety safe from thispandemic andas a from COVID19 pandemic andIamregularly counseling people inmy community our regular course topic, Ihave also learned howwecan make ourselves safe their studywhichwillhelpusto build abetter future ahead. Besideslearning JANO project many girlsofourcommunity isgetting theopportunity to continue section ofmy text Istarted book. to feel confident again. Withtheinitiative from Chandra Barmanwhichhelpedmealot to learn thecomplex topics ofdifferent attend theEnglish class ofSegufta Nasreen Madam,Mathclass ofRangad Facebook class initiative whichIthinkisalifesaver for girlslike me. Istart to study again. Inmidstofthischallenging situationJANOproject introduce mentor andIwas losing my confident andIthoughtthatwould notbeable to months. Itwas really tough to learn on my ownwithoutany supportfrom a DuetoModel HighSchool. COVID19 pandemic ourschoolswere closed for few Zannatul"I amMost. Mowa, astudentofclass 8ofGangachara Government Class 8,Gangachara Government Gangachara, Rangpur Most. ZannatulMost. Mowa Model HighSchool

STORIES IT’S NOT JUST FACEBOOK CLASSES IT'S WAY MORE THAN THAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP IS A VEHICLE TO IMPROVE NUTRITION SITUATION We are creating awareness to motherand » » » » plan. Someofthemajor activitiesare: undertaken undertheCSG nutritionaction Through thisplan, several activitieshave groups andSMC members. process, CSG also involved theCommunity other facilities. Duringtheplan development pregnant andlactating mother, children and nutrition status especially thenumber of and itsprogress, present situationof plan, theCSG analyzed last year's actionplan, Before thedevelopment ofnutritionaction their 'Annual Nutrition ActionPlan 2020-2021'. Community SupportGroups has completed With thefacilitation ofJANOproject, 624 their family elders for exclusive foods. a homegarden andconsumption nutrition Motivate community peoples to establish counselling to prevent early marriages. Awareness through agroup meeting,and and PNCservices. services and motivate themto receive ANC around nutritionandnutrition-based adolescent girlsto disseminate knowledge and lactating mothers andmarried Organize courtyard sessions withpregnant Advocacy withCommunity Clinics and » Advocacy withSMC, Education department » Linkage andcoordination withother » Advocacy engagement withCommunity » Advocacy withUnionParishads to provide » We are taking theinitiative to cover 100% » service institutions. the women-friendly environment inthose breastfeeding corner, adolescent corner or Union Parishads. The goal isto establish adolescent girlsatschool. providing sanitary napkinsfor the and UnionParishads to allocate budget for and othernutrition-sensitive interventions. ensure services onagriculture, livestock government service provider. Goal to care oftheirchild safely andhealthily. and adolescent girlsthatthey can take Goal to thepregnant andlactating mothers Clinics to ensure better service quality. safety-net programs. under maternal allowance andother and extremely poor, includemore PLW restroom, safe water source for thepoor of children to effect immunization. breastfeeding. JANO has completed the program held at RDRS Rangpur, and the local staffs implementation of 2nd year and is going of ESDO, Plan International Bangladesh to start the third-year operation. For and CARE JANO staffs have participated absorbing the lessons, and learning and physically at RDRS, while others joined thematic way forwarding and better through zoom platform. Besides JANO planning for the coming year, an Annual team, ESDO, Plan International Reflection and Learning workshop had Bangladesh and CARE Bangladesh's organized. The workshop designed under management leaders, CARE Austria, Plan two phases: a) learning, reflection and UK, CARE USA and EU delegates also thematic guidance b) planning of the third participated in the workshop via zoom year. The first phase of the workshop connection. Thematic specialists of Plan completed on 25-26 August 2020, and the International and CARE has been second phase (planning) completed in facilitated the thematic sessions and mid of September 2020. The workshop was provided their guidance for a way forward.

The annual learning and reflection mirror The objectives of the workshop were: the lessons which were learnt in the 2nd-year implementation from a various Reflection on the progress of the perspective like field reflection, consortium projects 2nd year Sharing the major organization reflection, Donor reflection etc. challenges, opportunities from the Also, the workshop reviewed the 2nd year program itself having guidance from progress and challenges, which considered the organizational, technical experts in 3rd year planning. The thematic leader and management for moving planning also analyzed and presented the current for 3rd-year implementation. initiatives and also presented road map of

thematic areas for incorporation in JANO. JANO ANNUAL REFLECTION WORKSHOP DEMONSTRATION OF BARI 84 RICE Bangladesh Rice Research Institute. the recommendations ofthe management practices have followed Dhan-84. Fertilizer uses,and establish thedemonstration onBRRI technical supports to thefarmers to Extension, Kishoreganj provided Office andDepartment ofAgriculture Research Institute, Rangpur Regional decimal land. Bangladesh Rice demonstration plots on4and4.5 Jitendro NathSarker prepared the Two farmers, NiharRanjan Sarker and Nilphamari by thesupported ofJANO. Barovita UP, , Dhan-84 atBinnakuri village under held twodemonstrations onBRRI During thelast Boro season DAE has from malnutrition. Bangladesh, especially thosesuffering deficiencies ofthepopulation in positive effect to reduce nutrition of BRRIDhan-84could make a contained protein So, 9.7%. thearray iron (10.1 m.gm) perkg ofrice and which isenrichedzinc(27.6 m.gm) and bio-fortified highyield rice variety, nutrition. BRRIDhan-84isa rice to meetthedemandoffood and zinc andiron-enriched newvariety of disseminated knowledge onhighyield objective was to established and supported ofJANO. Themain Dhan-84 inNilphamariDistrictby the DAE has held demonstrations ofBRRI climate-smart-agriculture techniques, adoption ofnutrition-sensitive and Focusing theactivitieson except for hybrid varieties. varieties whichis6-7.5 tons/hectre is higherthatofexisting cultivated the outcome was 8.4 ton/hectare, which decimal land. So, wecan assume that Jotendro NathSarker got 145 kg from 4.5 yield 140kg from 4decimal land, and where NiharRanjan Sarker has obtained The Rice was harvested onMay 10,2020, next season. their interest to grow thisvariety inthe result surrounding farmers also showed that ofexisting cultivate rice. Seeingthe and yield ofriseismuchbetter than satisfied withtheresults andtheshape Both farmers stated thatthey are very JANO COVID-19 RESPONSE

Coping up with COVID-19 pandemic situation JANO is working with the existing infrastructure in designated working areas to overcome the most significant global challenge. JANO volunteers are daily counseling to aware the community people on nutrition and preventive measures on COVID-19 pandemic in Rangpur and Nilphamari districts. JANO project has provided some materials, like; waste bucket, posters, leaflet and also awareness message through Miking, local TV channel to aware the community people.

DIRECT REACH THROUGH COVID-19 RESPONSE

A total of 640,343 adults (52% women), 116,026 mothers of <5 children and 147,778 adolescent girls and boys (50% girls) received awareness messages on COVID-19 and hand washing practices through HH visits by 267 school and community volunteers in 64 unions applying the government directives (IEDCR) and WHO guidelines. INTERVENTION WISE ACHIEVEMENTS

Waste Bucket (Paddle Bin) handed over to 208 Hand Spray Bottle & Bleaching powder handed Community Clinics, 56 FWCs, and 20 Sub Centers over to 208 CCs, 56 FWCs, and 20 Sub Centers

624 CSGs 5,753 members/youths oriented on the Video has been broadcasted at local dish use of hand spray machine with bleaching channel on breastfeeding process and powder solutions to disinfect roads/community importance during COVID situation places; among them 5,121 were CSG members and 632 were adolescents

Awareness raised on COVID-19 preventive measures to the religious leaders in 64 unions and 102 project staff trained on hand washing using WHO disseminated messages through Mosque’s Imam approved low cost “Soapy Water” using Mosque loud speaker

Awareness raising on COVID-19 completed in 64 Disseminated 4953 posters/leaflets to households Union through portable loudspeaker setup on especially for lactating and pregnant mothers three wheelers

Communicated with all Head Teachers from Household visits to spread awareness of the the 330 targeted schools to disseminate the television classes provided by Sangsad information of the existing Television Class Television through Ministry of Education provided by Sangsad Television for students (MOE)

An external evaluation was conducted on the impact of JANO response activities. According to the evaluation around 67% respondents received services during COVID-19 situation on knowledge about the virus, hygiene kits and how to get financial support etc. Most of them (86.8%) received basic information about COVID-19 and around 50% received practical advice on how to wash hands and use masks in a safe manner. IMPACT OF COVID-19 RESPONSE

Over 90% of the respondents received the basic information about COVID-19 INFORMATION from a JANO Volunteer. Other sources of COVID-19 knowledge included: SOURCE community people (34.7%), Community Clinic (22.6%), CSG members (10.4%) and Government (7.3%). The source of other NGOs was only 1%. MULTI-SECTORAL ANNUAL NUTRITION PLAN 2019-2020 BOOK LAUNCHED BY THE DNCC

In coordination with the government, JANO project launched Multi-Sectoral Annual Nutrition Plan 2019-2020 handbook in the 5th meeting of the District Nutrition Coordinating Committee in Rangpur. The book reflects the overall planning and budget allocation in all in Rangpur district. The meeting was held at the Conference Room of Rangpur Deputy Commissioner's Office on August 31, 2020. Along with Mr Asif Ahsan, the Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur, Civil Surgeon, DDLG, Rangpur and DNCC members were present at the event. In the meeting the Deputy Commissioner informed that the district administration has taken some initiatives for nutrition status improvement which will also reflect in the upcoming plan. ADOLESCENTS CORNERS MATERIALS DISTRIBUTION

In the 5th District Nutrition Coordinating Committee meeting in Rangpur, JANO project organized Adolescents Corner Materials Distribution Ceremony. The Deputy Commissioner, Civil Surgeon, DDLG, Rangpur and other DNCC members were present in the auspicious ceremony. Representative teachers of 5 selected schools received adolescent corners materials. Each school received 1 Television, 1 Height Scale, 1 Weight Scale, 1 Pusti Plate and 1 set Nijeke Jano Booklet.

Apart from the members of the District Nutrition Committee, Mr Akhtaruzzaman, Deputy Director, Secondary Education, and representatives of JANO Project, ESDO, CARE and Plan International Bangladesh were also present on occasion. Remaining 109 educational institutes of Rangpur and 214 educational institutes of Nilphamari received the same package from respective Upazilla Nutrition Coordination Committees. STORIES

Mimi is one of the brightest students of Chilapar two after the shutdown, the countrywide food High School located at in scarcity began, but this was not much of a Rangpur District. In the school intervention, JANO problem for Mimi's family because they already project came with an idea of school vegetable started getting vegetables from her garden. This gardening, she was curious. Taken the support garden not only helped the family to get from her teacher, she eagerly learned each step nutritious food during the pandemic, but it also of nutritious vegetable gardening such as helped their relatives and neighbours to get a seedbed preparation, caring of seedlings, use of share from the surplus. compost and so on. The purpose of the vegetable Inspired by Mimi's garden, some of the model garden was that students will learn neighbours already started to grow vegetables, everything about gardening of nutritious and they are also praising Mimi for her vegetable and will practice the method at their outstanding work. Her family members also homestead, which will fulfil the nutritional need applaud her for this initiative. It also helped the of the families. family to get a constant supply of food during the Just after learning the method, the COVID19 pandemic. For her remarkable initiative, her pandemic began, and the Government imposed family and neighbours called her 'The Food countrywide shutdown. While most of the Champion'. As Mimi said, "For me it was like a students were sitting home and passing idle dream come true. I have never thought that I will time, Mimi was thinking about something else. be able to make a garden and grow vegetables on There was a family-owned small unused piece of my own. I think my initiative will inspire others to land nearby their home where she plans to start do the same which will help them to get great her very own vegetable garden. Seeing her source of nutrition right from their home. I feel interest, her farther also lends a hand to help proud of myself and I would like to thank JANO her. In this small land, she starts to grow red project and all my teachers and volunteer for this amaranth, spinach, gourd, pumpkin, eggplant, great learning experience."

long bean and lady's fingers. About a month or MIMI: HER FAMILY'S FOOD CHAMPION