Scaling up Nutrition Phase Ii Newsletter

SCALING UP NUTRITION PHASE II NEWSLETTER

In this edition

SUN II UPDATES Key developments in the last 12 months

FIELD VISIT IN FOCUS Highlights of trip to Mongu and Kalabo districts in Western Province

ELSEWHERE IN SUN Updates from SUN TA and GIZ FANSER

First Edition 2020

Implemented by:

Government of the Republic of Zambia 2 SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020

Welcome remarks Acting NFNC Executive Director – Mr Musonda J. Mofu

elcome to the first edition of the Scaling Up the multisectoral District Nutrition Coordination Nutrition Phase II (SUN II) Newsletter! We Committees, which are a critical part of the Ware happy that we now have this platform coordination structure in the 17 SUN II districts. for sharing what is happening in the UN (UNICEF, Despite the pandemic, SUN II has conducted WHO, WFP, FAO) supported initiative, supporting the mapping and gap analysis at district level, followed 1,000 Most Critical Days programme, and generously by the development of one-year costed district funded by the European Union and the governments plans. All districts have used the same planning tools of the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, Sweden to standardize and harmonize planning. and the UK. We are also delighted that this Newsletter provides updates on SUN TA and GIZ Fanser as we There are several differences between SUN phase I work in harmony towards a common goal – reducing and SUN II. These include enhanced implementation stunting in Zambia. NFNC is the national body strategies that promote comprehensive high impact coordinating the Scaling up Nutrition Programme nutrition interventions, converging on the 1,000 Days as part of our mandate of coordination and as Households, supported by a strong social behaviour the advisory wing of the government on matters change communication strategy. The programme pertaining to food and nutrition. has also included support to adolescent girls (10-19 years). In the past few months, I have been able to witness how all the stakeholders are committed to the SUN Phase 1 proved to be a great learning ground programme – this is despite the COVID-19 pandemic for all of us and has made it possible for us to which has engulfed the world. Amid the pandemic, come up with SUN II, which we hope will result NFNC and the ministries have been working to put in further reduction in stunting in the country. I things in place that will facilitate implementation want to commend all the stakeholders and all our of the programme, including the recruitment of cooperating partners for this great initiative. technical staff such as a Nutritionist, Capacity Building We look forward to the improvement in nutrition Officer, M&E Officer, Advocacy and Social Behaviour indicators as we move forward together! Change Communication Officer and District Nutrition Coordinators.

The District Nutrition Support Coordinators support the District Commissioner’s office to convene J.MOFU

About SUN II

Scaling Up Nutrition Phase II (SUN II) is a four-year programme (2019-2023) supported by the United Nations (UNICEF, WHO, WFP, FAO) and funded by the European Union (EU), the Federal Republic of Germany through the KfW Development Bank, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and UK aid from the British people. Lead UN agency UNICEF works in support of the government line ministries and the National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC), as well as with non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

SUN II delivers a multi-sectoral package of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions, adopting coordinated approaches for service delivery to achieve impact on stunting by focusing on households with adolescent girls, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, children under 2 years of age, and women of reproductive age. SUN II aims to reduce stunting in children under two by 7 per cent by focusing on these ‘1,000 Days Households.’

Zambia joined the SUN movement in 2010 and in 2013 launched the first 1,000 Most Critical Days Programme (MCDP I) as its blueprint for reducing stunting. The first phase of the SUN-supported MCDP I was from 2013-2017, with an interim period 2018-2019. SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020 3

UNICEF, USAID, GIZ and SNV A Harmonized Approach in Support of Scaling-Up Nutrition

ased on an understanding of the determinants of malnutrition in Zambia and guided by discussions with NFNC and relevant government line ministries, SUN II has targeted 17 districts with a core package of Bhigh-impact nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions. The 17 districts being supported by UNICEF are Chipata, Lundazi, Chiengi, Chinsali, Isoka, Mpika, Chongwe, Lusaka, Mwinilunga, Solwezi, Zambezi, Choma, Monze, Kalabo, Kaoma, Mongu and Shangombo districts.

Under MCDP Phase II, the Government of Zambia (GRZ is building on national momentum around stunting reduction in 37 high priority districts, 17 of which will be administered by the United Nations. Of the 37 focus districts, 13 are supported through USAID under the Scaling Up Nutrition Technical Assistance (SUN TA) programme; four by the German government through GIZ’s Food and Nutrition Security, Enhanced Resilience (FANSER) programme; 17 by UNICEF in support of MCDP II with technical assistance from FAO, WHO and WFP; and six (three overlapping) by SNV under the FCDO- supported Scaling Sustainable Nutrition for All (SN4A) programme.

Implementation principles are based on equity, impact and value for money; the learning and evaluation components will be supported by the USAID-funded SUN Learning & Evaluation (L&E) programme.

UN District Project Area USAID District Project Area GIZ District Project Area SNV District Project Area

SUN Phase II will ensure coherence with initiatives supported by other donors and cooperating partners for expanded coverage and stronger outcomes. Specifically, SUN Phase II will coordinate with USAID’s SUN TA and SUN LE, SNV’s Scaling SN4A, and GIZ’s FANSER to harmonize approaches, tools and resources for planning, implementation, management and monitoring of MCDP II activities funded under SUN across the initial 37 districts. A “rooftop” agreement was developed to guide collaboration between UNICEF, USAID, SNV and GIZ SUN activities. Parties to the roof-top agreement will meet regularly to review collective efforts and prioritize actions. 4 SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020

SUN II Aims to Achieve Four Key Results by 2023

Sustained practice of optimal nutrition behaviours amongst adolescents, pregnant women, mothers and caregivers of children under two

Sustained demand for and use of agriculture, health and WASH interventions for adolescents, pregnant women, mothers and caregivers of children under two and communities

Quality nutrition information is used by communities, government and partners for evidence- based decisions, action and advocacy.

Sustained commitment by government and partners for accountable nutrition governance

Lessons learned from the first phase Promising results were achieved during MCDP I/SUN Phase I in terms of improving the knowledge and practices related to dietary intake, breastfeeding practices and consumption of nutrient-rich food. Reduction in the prevalence of diarrhoea was also evident. However, there were several lessons learned that SUN II will have to address in order to achieve the desired impact in stunting reduction. Drawing from these lessons, the following principles will be applied in the next steps:

1. Stronger vertical coordination for more responsive nutrition interventions: Under SUN II, greater effort will be focused on engaging districts, wards and communities in planning, implementation and monitoring nutrition interventions.

2. Increased exposure of households to multiple nutrition interventions: Though stunting reduction requires improvements across multiple sectors, including agriculture, WASH, health, nutrition and women’s empowerment, only a small percentage of MCDP I households benefitted from interventions across all sectors. SUN II emphasizes greater convergence of multiple nutrition-sensitive and nutrition- specific interventions, which requires more systematic targeting of households with pregnant and lactating women and children under two – and reaching these households with multiple interventions.

3. Build on successful social and behaviour change strategies: By working through community platforms such as Care Groups, health centres, schools and communities, MCDP I achieved positive changes in breastfeeding practices, nutrition and health knowledge, WASH behaviours and agricultural practice to enhance consumption of diversified food. SUN II builds on these successes by employing a coordinated social and behaviour change communication campaign, informed by formative research conducted by UNICEF in 2019 and drawing from relevant formative research conducted by UN agencies and donor- funded programmes. The campaign will expand communication avenues through religious, traditional and community leaders.

4. Strengthen management systems to facilitate service delivery: Weak financial management and inefficient financial flows from national to sub-national levels created bottlenecks around the ability to harmonize service delivery across line ministries under MCDP I. SUN II activities will build the programme and financial management capacity of DNCCs and line ministries to develop accurate budgets aligned to work plans through needs-based on-site coaching and mentorship, with support from NGOs. SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020 5

How SUN Phase II is Targeting Beneficiaries and Converging Interventions

n consultation with NFNC, GIZ, SNV and SUN TA, SUN II has given careful consideration to how to target households and 1,000 Days Households: Icommunities to ensure that all interventions come together to adolescent girls, pregnant support sustainable nutrition outcomes. In addition to reaching women, breastfeeding women, children and women in the 1,000 Days Households, SUN II will women and caretakers having reach other members who often influence nutrition practices children under 2 years of age, and behaviours – fathers, grandmothers and siblings. The entire and women of reproductive community will be reached with a social change approach called community-led total nutrition and WASH activities, age. Ultimately, children in these households will realize Most Vulnerable 1,000 Days improvements in nutrition and development; women in Households: adolescence these households will realize improvements in nutrition, health, agriculture, hygiene and sanitation practices through pregnancy, low-birth weight participation in Nutrition Support Groups, while also increasing baby, under-weight pregnant income through savings groups and receiving technical women, and/or child with assistance in improved agricultural practices. A smaller group severe acute malnutrition of households, the Most Vulnerable 1,000 Days Households, will also benefit from participation in livestock pass-on and/or homestead gardens, resulting in diversification of the family diet.

SCALING UP NUTRITION IN THE 1,000 MOST CRITICAL DAYS Pyramid Showing Minimum Package of Intervention Government of the Republic of Zambia

PRIORITY INTERVENTIONS SERVICE DELIVERY CHANNELS TARGET POPULATION Response to Critical Situations Ministry of Health & DMMU SUN Most Vulnerable Households Response to critical needs among Health facilities, public and Households with adolescents nutritionally-vulnerable households private service providers, NGOs pregnancy, low birth weight infants, directly or through referral: maternal death, or under-weight productive inputs, food relief and pregnant women SAM treatment Agriculture Ministry of Agriculture and SUN Agriculture Households Increase year-round production, Ministry of Fisheries and Households with pregnant or lactating preservation, processing and Livestock women or children under two utilization of nutritious food with Lead farmers, public and private market promotion service providers, NGOs Health and Nutrition Ministry of Health and Ministry SUN Households and Schools Promote good maternal, infant, of General Education Households with pregnant or young child and adolescent health, Care Groups, public and private lactating woman of child under nutrition and care practices service providers, NGOs, school two, adolescents in schools health and nutrition clubs and community Economic Dimension Ministry of Community Women of Form and support community Development Reproductive Age savings and lending groups, and Community savings and lending Women between 15-49 other empowerment initiatives groups, small business groups, years of age public and private service providers, NGOs

WASH Ministry of Water and Ministry Communities Facilitate access to clean water and of Local Government All rural and urban promote sanitation and hygiene D-WASHE, Sanitation Action households behaviours: CLTS and baby WASH Groups, public and private Change and Gender Equality Social and Behaviour Strategic service providers, NGOs

Nutrition Enhanced multisectoral Institutional capacity Increased Strengthened M&E governance coordination strengthening advocacy research and learning 6 SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020

SUN Phase II – Building on the Foundations of SUN Phase I: Inspiring Stories from Western Province By Mainza Kawanu, Communications for Key Partnerships Consultant, UNICEF Zambia

hen her 3-year-old son tugs persistently Sholo’s goats are still alive and well, and the family is at the chitenge cloth wrapped around her already on a firmer nutritional footing. Wwaist, Sholo Bishone picks him up and pacifies him by handing him a wild indigenous fruit “I was very happy and excited to have received known in Lozi as Mahuluhulu – Monkey Orange in the two goats and six chickens after I heard about English. The juice of this fruit is rich in zinc, iron and the pass-on project through the Ward Nutrition vitamin C. Because of this, it is used in porridge to Coordinating Committee,” she said. “Before that, I had increase its nutritional value no source of income. But through the livestock, I have been able to send my oldest child to school as I was In 2017, single mother Sholo was a beneficiary able to sell two goats after they started breeding and of Phase I of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) raise capital for inputs for my garden which is also programme in Kalabo District, Western Province, flourishing,” she said. Sholo now has ten goats – even receiving two goats (one male and one female) when after giving away two of them to another beneficiary her son was 7 months old. The goat milk helped to sustain the practice in their ward. nourish her son as she stopped breast feeding, made porridge for him and the family, and has since added According to Ms. Inonge Nosiku, Kalabo District meat to their diet as the livestock multiplied. SUN Coordinator, phase I of SUN utilized and enhanced a multi-sectoral approach to scale up The 1,000 Most Critical Days Programme Phase 1 nutrition in the district. “Including traditional and (MCDP I), through SUN, worked with the Ministry local leadership really made a significant impact of Community Development and Social Services in within the communities especially in driving social the distribution of goats to households who have behavioural change towards nutrition. We look children below the age of two years, and pregnant forward to a second phase that will continue to build and lactating women. As the SUN Phase II (SUN this coordination and include sub-districts in planning, II) programme gets underway in her home district, consultative and feedback processes,” she said.

Sholo Bishone attending to one of the 10 goats she now owns through SUN Phase 1 intervention.

©UNICEF/Zambia/2020/Siakachoma SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020 7

In the news Nim iligniendis nihilitatiur as et adit, nobis placcab ipsundis apisinc iaerum se delecus dolorporerum iun

A sisterhood of success - four Village Banking Group members including two sisters in Namushakende Community.

©UNICEF/Zambia/2020/Siakachoma Village Banking In neighbouring Mongu district, Mutumba Kaiwala savings schemes and technical support is provided of Namushakende community is another recipient by trained field agents. Social and behaviour of two goats from phase I of SUN. She also joined change messages discussed in these groups will a village banking scheme under the programme. reinforce use of increased savings for investments in Mutumba entered the programme as a grandmother diversified food production and purchase of diverse looking after a two-year-old grandson when her foods through local markets. adult daughter left for studies. Through SUN, Mutumba was trained in how to prepare various “Grandmothers and mothers are an important driving types of foods and porridge enriched with nutrients force in community development,” says Mutumba. to ensure proper growth of her grandson. “Once they are empowered, even the nutritional status of the community changes. From the help I “After my goats began to reproduce, I have received, I am now able to ensure my family has three nutritious meals a day,” she added, with a smile joined village banking and got a loan on her face.

to scale up my business,” she says. “I As we discuss, another member of the village pumped that money into buying and banking initiative, Nyama Kanyela joins the reselling of fish and this is the fish discussion. Nyama was given two goats, which have now increased to 10. When she joined the village you can see here today on this table. banking scheme, she obtained a loan to boost her Our livelihood as a family has really trade in tomatoes. improved as we now have more than “I just want to say that I share her sentiments on one income stream.” empowering the grandmothers in communities. If you go around the villages, you will find that Village banking has many benefits and if managed grandmothers are primary caregivers for one reason well and used properly can move people out of or another,” she says. poverty, reduce undernutrition and build sustainable Thanks to the work under SUN I in districts such livelihoods. A broad network of savings groups and as Mongu and Kalabo, the national prevalence of trained facilitators exist across the 17 districts. stunting has fallen to 35% in 2018 for children under SUN II supports stakeholder analysis through District 5 - 29.1% in Kalabo district and 17.8% in Mongu and Ward Nutrition Coordinating Committees to District. identify opportunities to link 1,000 Days Households to savings and lending activities. The programme will ensure women’s use of their own resources to start 8 SUNNewsletter II Newsletter • October • First 2017 Edition 2020

Lubasi Mukelebai with her three-year-old fraternal twins, Nosiku and Fred at Sefula Health Centre in Mongu.

©UNICEF/Zambia/2020/Siakachoma

Community volunteers for improved nutrition Part of what took place in the first phase of SUN, The SUN II programme collaborates closely with which continues under SUN II, is the training and health facilities, community health workers and support of community nutrition volunteers who play community volunteers to deliver appropriate a key role under Ministry of Health as they work in maternal nutrition assessment, counselling and the community to promote Infant and Young Child effective referral services. These services connect Feeding. The volunteers report to the health facility women to essential community and facility-based or the Community Health Assistant. health and nutrition services and ensure follow-up care and counselling within the household. In Mongu District, we met Lubasi Mukelebai. When an antenatal visit picked up that she was expecting twins, she was matched with a community volunteer, Marjory Sililo. We met Lubasi at the Mother and Child Clinic at Sefula Health Centre, where she’s come for a regular growth monitoring check-up.

“I gave birth to them prematurely at 7 months,” says Lubasi. “My counsellor [Marjory], who had been with me from the time I was pregnant, taught me on the importance of infant and young child feeding practices, including the importance of exclusively breastfeeding my babies. I learned how this helps in the prevention of diarrhoea, abdominal pains and cramps which can cause a lot of restlessness and distress for them. Because of her care and consistency in home care visits, my children were never undernourished and have never been admitted to hospital for any illness since the time we were discharged at birth,” she says. SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020 9

Marjory has been a community volunteer at Sefula While looking at the babies with a sense of purpose, Health Centre since 2010 and has been trained in Marjory concluded by saying, “I used to walk 2 growth monitoring and promotion, infant and young kilometers to their home to see them. Sometimes I child feeding and outpatient therapeutic feeding would make two trips a day, one in the morning and care. one in the evening to see them. When I see the twins big and healthy now and consider how far they have “As the babies were born premature, come, I feel very fulfilled in my role as a volunteer.” they were in a very delicate condition The twins and the other children and families we and one baby is hard enough but two met in Western Province are a testament to the enduring legacy of the first phase of SUN. With can be quite challenging. I taught her SUN II underway, work will continue to strengthen how to feed them, the different ways community health structures so that stunting levels continue their downward trend in Zambia. she could hold them as she nursed them to avoid wearing herself out and even how to begin bathing them after they were removed from incubators,” said Marjory.

Marjory a community health volunteer in Namushakende Community.

©UNICEF/Zambia/2020/Siakachoma 10 SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020

Highlights of SUN II – November 2019-November 2020

y In collaboration with NFNC, SUN II has been y Supplies procured for the 17 districts in the period kick started in all 17 districts and in July 2020, included: Provincial and District Nutrition Coordination » 18 vehicles (including 1 for nation level), Committees were oriented on the programme. computers, printers, furniture, workstations y The 17 districts in the programme have been and communication equipment. ‘regionalised’ into three blocks, overseen from » Community volunteer materials, such as Mongu, Chipata and Lusaka. 15,000 gumboots, 5,500 aprons and other y Three UN to UN agreements have been signed, to motivational materials. define the scope of work among UN agencies: » Anthropometric equipment, weighing scales » With FAO, to support production of diversified and Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) nutritious foods (vegetables and fruits, tapes. short cycle small livestock, poultry and fish » Personal hygiene and sanitation materials legumes and bio-fortified foods); sustainable and disinfectants for the volunteers involved production, processing, and value addition in Child Health Week to enable successful of non-wood forest products for food and delivery of vitamin A and deworming for income; and promotion of food safety and diet children under 5 years of age and for routine quality. services targeting 1,011,264 children. » With WFP, for Economic empowerment for » 6,479 cartons of Ready to use Therapeutic women of reproductive age; promotion of Foods (RUTF), one years’ supply for SAM food safety and preservation to increase management. availability, access, quality and safety of nutritious foods for households; support » 5.5 million Vitamin A capsules (200,000IU) NFNC to conduct analysis to inform nutrition and 735,300 vitamin A capsules (100,000IU) programming; to work with the SUN Business to cover the two rounds of Child Health Week Network to promote the development in 2020. of nutritious, processed foods and their y Printing of key documents in process. These marketing; and contribute to the development include GMP training materials, Child Health Cards, of the SBCC strategy and SBCC toolkit. brochures on breastfeeding and complementary » With WHO, for implementation of the feeding. Infant and Young Child Feeding Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative; enhanced Counseling (IYCF) cards for community volunteers implementation and monitoring of legislation have also been prioritized. on the code of marketing of breastmilk y Contracting process for borehole drilling and substitutes; building capacity for health rehabilitation in Muchinga Province has been personnel for the in-patient management of concluded, in preparation to drill (90 boreholes) Severe Acutely Malnourished children; and and rehabilitate (120 boreholes), after the quality assurance for IYCF and SAM. procurement of 300 handpumps and 150 y Support was provided for the recruitment of handpump toolkits was initiated. During the third four national-level NFNC staff and nine District week of November, drilling of water point have Nutrition Coordinators. started in Chinsali, Isoka and Mpika y Engaged a consulting firm for technical assistance for sanitation marketing. SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020 11

SUN II - UN District Mapping Development of District and Gap Analysis Multisectoral Plans SUN II has taken a “tailor-made” approach to The determinants of nutritional status are collaborate with partners implementing in the focus multifaceted and multi-dimensional. An appropriate, 17 districts by conducting district mapping and gap well-coordinated, multisectoral response is needed analysis at planning and design phases. This allows to address malnutrition. For this reason, multisectoral districts to build on existing interventions already nutrition plans are key to ensuring that various ongoing, to avoid duplication and focus on specific sectors and actors know what actions are expected gaps that remain to be addressed to reduce stunting. of them to help achieve their nutrition objectives. District mapping collects information on partners Such a plan facilitates coordinated implementation and resources and is used as the basis for developing and oversight of activities from the district down to multi-sectoral nutrition work plans. The mapping and household level and helps to maximize efficient and gap analysis was conducted from 24 August to 18 effective use of scarce resources. September 2020 and provided information needed for planning nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive In the 17 UNICEF supported SUN II districts, district priority interventions in 17 SUN II districts. staff developed evidence-based, prioritized district intervention plans. To develop the plans, district staff The exercise was led by NFNC, with technical and used data from the mapping and gap analysis, SUN financial support from UNICEF, in partnership with L&E baseline survey, and other sources to identify FAO, WHO and WFP. A set of comprehensive tools most urgent nutrition issues in the district, identify were developed for data collection, covering four critical gaps in service delivery and prioritize key main sectors at the district level: WASH; Health; interventions for implementation. Planning took Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries; and Social place for eight days in October 2020 and all districts Protection. Data collection was done using Computer carried out the planning exercise simultaneously. A Assisted Personal Interviews. The field teams were range of district staff participated, with many Heads provided with tablets and internet for them to of Department actively engaged. This exercise has be able to enter and upload data using Kobo, an successfully laid the foundation for SUN II in the 17 android-based application. districts, now in the implementation phase. 12 SUN II Newsletter • First Edition 2020

Field Visit in Focus – Kalabo and Mongu, September 2020

Hudson Manda. After routine visit to Mongu Urban Clinic with his one-year-old daughter encouraging more men to accompany their wives and children to the Under 5 clinics. ©UNICEF/Zambia/2020/Siakachoma

n September 2020, NFNC and UNICEF visited “ I brought my one-year-old daughter to the Kalabo and Mongu districts of Western Province Ito document the benefits of the interventions mother and child clinic for her routine under through interaction with District Nutrition 5 visits and did not have to wait in line to be Coordinators, community health workers and volunteers, and testimonials from beneficiaries of attended to because men are prioritized to the SUN I programme. encourage more fathers to be involved in

The District Nutrition Coordinators coordinate infant and child health.” planning and implementation of the first 1,000 – Hudson Manda Most Critical Days Programme in the districts in order to contribute to the reduction of all forms of malnutrition. They are critical in the implementation of multi-sectoral plans through the District Nutrition Coordinating Committees. UNICEF has so far supported the recruitment of nine district nutrition coordinators including advancement of financial support for their salaries.

“When it comes to Scaling Up Nutrition, strive to work hand in hand with our district coordinators so that we cover specific areas of need in our districts with targeted multisectoral interventions and avoid duplication of efforts from various partners. When all our efforts are well coordinated, we broaden the impact on beneficiaries.” – Mr. Bright Tombi Tombi

The District Commissioner of Mongu, Mr. Bright Tombi Tombi, shares his sentiments during a courtesy call at his office by UNICEF and People In Need (PIN) NGO team.

The District Commissioner of Kalabo, Mrs. Fridah Luhila said this during courtesy call paid on her by UNICEF, PIN and Provincial Office teams. ©UNICEF/Zambia/2020/Siakachoma ©UNICEF/Zambia/2020/Siakachoma

“Nutritional efforts are nothing without food security. Food security has been under threat in our district because of climate change and crops are also being ravaged by stalk borers and red locusts which have since emerged. We need an integrated approach to reduce stunting levels substantially.” – Mrs. Fridah Luhila

Team UNICEF showing that attitude really is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure as they attempt to push things along on sandy terrain on the way to Sihole community in Kalabo District

Scaling Up Nutrition Partner Feature

longside the 17 districts supported by SUN II, GIZ Fanser is supporting 4 districts under the Aoverarching SUN programme while SUN-TA (USAID) is supporting 13 districts and SNV (FCDO) is supporting 6 districts (3 overlapping). Volunteer day to re-establish the DNCC office in Petauke District On 17 October 2020, GIZ FANSER (Food and Nutrition Security, Enhanced Resilience) organised a volunteer day to re-establish the District Nutrition Coordinating Committee (DNCC) office in Petauke District, Eastern Province. The team wanted to create a conducive workspace space for the DNCC, where Scaling Up Nutrition Technical they can also host meetings and trainings. The volunteer day resulted in new paintings that included Assistance (SUN TA, USAID) infographics, a new ceiling, installation of new doors supports establishment and burglar bars, and provision of office equipment. of Communication and GIZ FANSER covers four districts and aims to establish and implement food and nutrition Advocacy Technical Working committees at the district level. In Katete and Petauke districts these committees will implement Groups the “First 1,000 Most Critical Days Programme” In October 2020, the Scaling Up Nutrition Technical which is supported by SUN. DNCC’s conduct Assistance (SUN TA) programme supported NFNC stakeholder and needs analyses to identify points to form and orient District Communication and of collaboration strategies to reach 1,000 Days Advocacy Technical Working Groups (TWGs) in the Households with the full complement of priority 13 districts supported by SUN TA. interventions. The TWGs are important in the implementation of communication, advocacy and social and behaviour change activities to improve nutrition behaviours and consequently reduce stunting among children under two, in line with the overall objectives of MCDP II.

The TWGs comprise representatives from government ministries, civil society, faith-based organizations and other implementing agencies in respective districts. The orientation included presentations on the overall SUN/MCDP II programme in Zambia, the role of SUN TA in supporting SUN, the terms of reference for the TWGs, and the key SBC issues to be addressed based on the 2019 SUN baseline data and the SUN

TA SBC Strategy recently approved by USAID, the funders of SUN TA.

The TWGs are sub-committees of the District Nutrition Coordinating Committee (DNCC) and will therefore work closely with implementing line ministries. The immediate task of the TWGs was to plan for communication, advocacy and SBC activities to be implemented in 2021.

The districts covered were Kasama, Mbala, Luwingu, Kaputa, Nchelenge, Mansa, Samfya, Mumbwa, Chibombo, Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi. Ndola and Kitwe will follow in the last round in November.

For more information on SUN Phase II, visit: unicef.org/zambia/sun-phase-ii

Implemented by:

Government of the Republic of Zambia