WFP/GMB Akash
WFP/GMB Akash
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition
WFP/Masud Al Mamun
WFP/Micha Sumulue WFP/Erik Nugroho
Final Conclusions September 2014 “Multi-sector partnerships among companies, governments, donor agencies, and non-governmental organisations offer enormous potential for leveraging resources and capabilities to improve development results. Yet, they are challenging to establish and sustain.
They require ongoing efforts to build mutual respect and trust among diverse organisations with different interests, incentives, cultures, governance structures, decision-making processes and timelines. They require individual leaders in each partner organisation to be able to balance a sense of urgency for action and measurable results with the patience and persistence necessary to build effective relationships, deal with complexity and achieve systemic change. And they call for a shared commitment to overarching goals and principles combined with willingness to compromise and adapt when it comes to implementation.
Project Laser Beam, founded by the UN World Food Programme, Unilever, Mondelez International Foundation (formerly Kraft Foods Foundation), Royal DSM and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), has addressed and learned from these challenges. It has also demonstrated the value of a multi-layered approach to partnership. Project Laser Beam was convened and led by global platforms and champions, but has placed a strong emphasis on country-level ownership and on building the capacity of local implementation partners at a national and project-level.
In addition, Project Laser Beam has highlighted the benefit of combining public sector interventions, market-based solutions and philanthropic contributions within one initiative rather than viewing these as mutually exclusive approaches. Such a combination is difficult, but it can be achieved with clarity of roles and responsibilities, and sufficient trust among partners. This comprehensive approach has also enabled Project Laser Beam to tackle both the direct and underlying causes of child under- nutrition in a holistic manner.
The use of Accenture Development Partnerships as a third-party intermediary to facilitate and manage the Project Laser Beam initiative is worth noting. Having an independent intermediary that is respected and trusted by the partners and can offer both technical and relationship management skills can be a key factor in building successful partnerships among non-traditional allies.
As Project Laser Beam transitions to a new stage embedded in the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Network, it offers valuable lessons for building multi-sector partnerships. Whether in the fight against malnutrition or to address other complex development priorities, such partnerships offer one of our best hopes for delivering more inclusive and sustainable development.”
Jane Nelson,
Director of Harvard Kennedy School’s Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative, Harvard University
2 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions Contents
Forewords...... 4 Executive Summary ...... 6 Introduction...... 7 The Challenge ...... 7 Overview of Project Laser Beam ...... 7 The Partners ...... 8
Key Achievements and Learnings...... 10 1. Tackling child undernutrition holistically...... 10 2. Transforming partnerships ...... 12 3. Targeting whole communities...... 13 4. Creating an enabling environment for both traditional development and market-based solutions ...... 14 5. Selecting the “right” geographies ...... 16 6. Scaling up rather than re-inventing the wheel ...... 18 7. Operating efficiently ...... 20 8. Collaborating with a larger global child nutrition platform or agenda ...... 21
Country Case Studies...... 22 Bangladesh ...... 22 Indonesia ...... 28
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 3 Forewords
Unilever - Paul Polman, UN World Food Programme - Elisabeth DSM - Feike Sijbesma, Chief Executive Officer Rasmusson, Assistant Executive Director Chief Executive Officer When Project Laser Beam was for Partnerships and Governance The need to address chronic malnutrition launched in 2009, it was described as Every human being deserves a healthy - or hidden hunger - is one of the most a transformational partnership. It was start to life and the chance to reach their critical challenges the world faces ground-breaking at the time because full potential, yet chronic hunger steals today. Two billion people, particularly in of its innovative multi-sector approach these opportunities away from millions of developing countries, are in urgent need combining the expertise of leading public people throughout the world, resulting in of more nutritious food to live, thrive and, in and private sector players to tackle children being stunted, families’ dreams some cases, simply survive. The problem child undernutrition - one of the most remaining unrealised, and countries not is great and will require collaboration persistent challenges in our world. achieving their economic potential. and coordination between many parties in the form of transformational Now, in 2014, five years later, Project It is because of these challenges that partnerships in order to solve it. Laser Beam has helped to improve the the World Food Programme has been lives of more than two million people in providing food assistance to people in Addressing nutrition deficiency is the Bangladesh and Indonesia. This report need since 1961 and working closely most cost-effective way to improve the transparently shares the partnership’s with local people and communities lives of people who are most at risk of learnings and successes. It is essential to enable them to become more self- long-term under-development. Good that we leverage this experience across sufficient. These challenges are also nutrition is essential to help pregnant and sectors and continue to build new why we partnered with companies, lactating mothers give birth to healthy collaborations if we are to be successful governments, and other organisations children, produce adequate breast-milk in addressing undernutrition and in 2009 to create the bold, pioneering and ensure children grow up to reach their eliminating hunger in our lifetime. initiative called Project Laser Beam. full potential and not suffer from stunting.
To do this requires the spirit of innovation After five years, Project Laser Beam has The simple truth is: we have enough that Project Laser Beam demonstrates helped to positively impact over two million food in the world to feed everyone. but also greater cooperation between people in Bangladesh and Indonesia. But The challenge is: to coordinate governments, private sector, civil society more importantly, it has provided extremely interventions that are both effective and and academia to develop strategies and valuable insights into, and learning sustainable. Fortunately, the solutions solutions at global, regional and local level. opportunities around how we can create are known and available. At DSM, our For Unilever there is no question that we better multi-stakeholder partnerships expertise is in micronutrients (vitamins will continue our investments in nutrition and the local mechanisms that are so and minerals), which can be used in many across our value chain – from working with vital to overcome today’s complex food, forms of staple foods such as flour used small holder farmers through to supporting nutrition and development challenges. to make bread. Many effective nutritional the SUN Business Network within the solutions are available but must be scaled Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement. We are very grateful to our partners up to reach those in need. When gaps in who travelled with us into uncharted products and services are found, DSM’s From a private sector perspective, territory. They invested the time and expertise and product solutions seek to addressing inequities such as resources needed for all of us to innovate assist Project Laser Beam in developing undernutrition is not about philanthropy and learn how we can achieve a world new solutions for improving nutrition. or altruism – it is about doing business with zero hunger; a world in which sustainably. The cost of inaction in children everywhere know their futures We have it in our power to take action tackling stunting, malnutrition and hunger are open to infinite possibilities. together to address malnutrition is far greater than the cost of action. now and to prevent it in the future. Investment in nutrition can translate to Today’s children and families need a 2 to 3 percent increase in a nation’s our help, so that they can build the GDP each year and will assist in breaking foundation for the next generation. the cycle of poverty that traps families and nations. Simply put, it makes good business sense and results in positive social impact and greater equity for communities around the world - investment in nutrition is an investment in creating a brighter future for generations to come.
4 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition - Mondelez International - Chris McGrath, Marc Van Ameringen, Executive Director Vice President of External Affairs Child under-nutrition remains one of Over five years ago, Mondelez the most pressing issues of our time. International joined forces with World Each year, 3.5 million children die Food Programme along with a coalition of because they do not have access to an companies to tackle malnutrition through adequate diet. Of those that do survive, Project Laser Beam. To help diversify some 162 million children are left stunted, diets, we teamed up with Helen Keller unable to reach their full potential. International to bring homestead farming to women in Indonesia and Bangladesh. We believe that to be successful in the Through these “micro-farms”, women global fight against malnutrition we need were empowered to grow nutrient rich a new approach – one that requires the vegetables, raise poultry as a source private sector, civil society, and multilateral of protein and increase family incomes organisations to work in partnership with by selling the harvest at market. governments toward a common goal. Through this effort we gained some Project Laser Beam has been a forerunner invaluable lessons about collaboration, in bringing these different sectors together partnership, innovation and, I’d to tackle child malnutrition. As one of underscore, listening to our partners. its founding members, GAIN, together We learned even more about the with its partners, has learnt a lot about complexities of combating malnutrition what makes such partnerships work. and were inspired by the women Clarity of purpose, well-defined roles and who, like mothers around the world, good communication are all critical to want their children to be healthy. building trust and enabling joint innovation WFP/Micha Sumulue and action. As we sunset Project Laser Beam, we are thrilled to know the principles and insights Coordinated efforts by partners in that have emerged from this partnership Bangladesh and Indonesia built significant will continue to inform other malnutrition momentum to address malnutrition efforts and collaborations. The resolve of and led to concrete investments on Mondelez International to bring children the ground. Going forward, Project good nutrition is strong and is one of the Laser Beam has been embedded in many inspirations that led us to launch a the broader framework of the Scaling big, powerful idea: the Call for Well-being. Up Nutrition Business Network, a platform created to take multi-sector The Call for Well-being is a call for action partnerships in nutrition to a global scale. in four areas that are critical to the well- WFP/Erik Nugroho being of the world and where Mondelez Project Laser Beam revealed how International can make the greatest much we can achieve when we work impact: sustainability, mindful snacking, together. Indeed, it showed that it safety and community partnerships. is only by embracing the spirit of Similar to Project Laser Beam, we’re partnership that malnutrition can be focused on driving impact and innovation. eliminated within our lifetimes. However, we recognise that we can’t do it alone, and so we will amplify our “listening skills” and surface new voices. Alongside these new voices, we’ll bring together diverse ideas - both big and small - to deliver meaningful change. WaterAid/Arif Abdullah Khan
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 5 Executive Summary
Child undernutrition is a global issue that The aim of Project Laser Beam was to 6. Scaling up rather than re-inventing accounts for nearly three million deaths in create sustainable, scalable and replicable the wheel. Successful existing child children annually. solutions to significantly reduce child nutrition solutions not only save undernutrition. investment in research and development If children are undernourished by their but also speed up implementation. second birthday, they could suffer Over the five years of implementation, irreversible physical and mental damage. Project Laser Beam not only attained 7. Operating efficiently by implementing This makes them more susceptible to multiple successes but uncovered a decentralised consensus-driven illness throughout their life, resulting critical learnings that can help accelerate operating model managed by a in lost opportunities to grow, flourish progress in tackling undernutrition neutral external third party, Accenture and reach their potential in adulthood. using a multi-sectorial approach. Major Development Partnerships. Accenture The economic costs of undernutrition achievements and learnings include: Development Partnerships enabled all are substantial. For example every US$1 partners to play to their strengths and invested in reducing stunting in children 1. Tackling child undernutrition manage their designated interventions in the first 1,000 days after conception holistically by addressing both direct by focusing on their core competencies. through nutrition programmes is estimated and underlying causes. Direct causes to generate US$18 in economic returns may include inadequate dietary intake The final learning of Project Laser in Bangladesh and US$48 in Indonesia.1 that results in insufficient nutrients, and Beam is that there is significant value Given the systemic and widespread nature common infectious diseases, such in collaborating with larger global child of child undernutrition globally, the onus of as diarrhoea. Underlying causes may nutrition platforms or agendas, such as addressing this issue does not and cannot include household food insecurity, that of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) rest upon a single organisation or sector. inadequate care for women and Movement, to not only increase advocacy Public private partnerships play a critical children, poor health and hygiene for governments to embed nutrition in role, bringing together complementary practices, and income poverty. Both their national agenda but also to share resources to deliver innovative, were addressed by Project Laser experiences and lessons learnt to inform sustainable, and systemic solutions. Beam across four programmatic future similar efforts. Such collaboration will pillars of interventions: Food and also support the scaling up of Project Laser Project Laser Beam, a five-year, multi- Micronutrients, Water and Sanitation, Beam nutrition interventions even after the million dollar public-private partnership, Health and Hygiene, and Food project concludes. was established in 2009. It aimed to find security and Income Generation. new solutions to persisting problems in Thus, even though Project Laser Beam the area of child undernutrition. It brings 2. Creating transformational ended in September 2014, the concept together the expertise of the United partnerships by involving an and learnings of Project Laser Beam and Nations and other public agencies with that appropriate set of stakeholders the experiences of its partners in fighting of Fortune 500 companies, governments, to address a systemic issue, then child undernutrition will add value to, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) leveraging the core competencies continue to help drive action on this front. and local companies. of all partners to positively impact beneficiaries, reach scale and Project Laser Beam was unveiled at have a lasting impact. the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York in September 2009 by 3. Targeting whole communities, founding partners the UN World Food including children during the first Programme, Unilever, Mondelez 1,000-day window of opportunity, International Foundation (formerly Kraft pregnant and lactating women, and Foods Foundation), Royal DSM and the the communities in which they live to Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition ensure continuous and sustainable (GAIN). Over the five-year partnership, support for undernourished children. Project Laser Beam implemented 18 4. Creating an enabling environment interventions, with 2.48 million people for both traditional development participating in the different programmes and market-based solutions where in Bangladesh and 424,0002 in Indonesia. both public and private sectors As the majority of the Project Laser Beam can contribute and work together beneficiaries were involved in more to address child undernutrition. than one intervention, the aggregate number of individual beneficiaries is 5. Selecting the “right” geographies lower. Of the total beneficiaries reached to enable all stakeholders (public and by Project Laser Beam, an estimated private sectors) in the partnership 1.74 million new beneficiaries (i.e., to contribute and benefit from new to nutrition support) were reached their contribution in a way that by the partnership interventions. creates sustainable impact.
6 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions Introduction
To tackle child undernutrition sustainably, local companies. By collectively using The Challenge both the direct and underlying existing knowledge and technology within Child undernutrition is responsible for causes need to be addressed. and across sectors, these partners aimed nearly half (45 percent) of all deaths in to create new solutions, developing children under five, which translates to There is strong evidence, mostly new methods and markets, products nearly three million deaths in children generated by economists, showing and services to address persisting annually.3 Millions of other children that eliminating undernutrition in problems of child undernutrition. under five are permanently disabled young children has multiple benefits. both physically and mentally due to It can prevent child deaths by more Project Laser Beam aimed to leverage poor dietary intake. In 2011 alone, it was than one third per year and improve the strengths of public and private estimated that at least 165 million children school attainment by at least one sector actors to create new methods and globally were affected by stunting (chronic year. In Africa and Asia, addressing markets that would provide long-term restriction of growth in height indicated by undernutrition can boost gross national benefit to malnourished children. The goal a low height-for-age), 51 million children product by 11 percent and increase was for the public sector to provide the 7 were affected by wasting (acute weight wages by five to 50 percent. traditional development interventions that loss indicated by a low weight-for-height), address nutrition, such as supplementary Given the systemic and widespread nature and 100 million children were underweight feeding, promoting breast feeding and of child undernutrition globally, the onus of (low weight-for-age). The vast majority providing school feeding, while private addressing this issue does not and cannot of these children are in Asia and Africa.4 sector companies innovated in other rest on a single organisation or sector. Millions more are affected by less visible ways to combat child undernutrition. Public private partnerships play a critical micronutrient deficiencies. These efforts would ideally intersect role in addressing child undernutrition. with new business models creating The first 1,000 days of a child’s life - from These partnerships can bring together economic opportunities to enable whole conception to age two - presents a critical complementary resources to stimulate the communities to be better nourished. window of opportunity. Good nutrition and development of innovative, sustainable healthy growth in this period will have and systemic solutions. This was the After detailed analysis and planning, the lasting benefits throughout a child’s life.5 premise upon which the creation of Project first nutrition interventions of Project Laser Conversely, if children are undernourished Laser Beam was based. Beam - school feeding programmes - by their second birthday, they are likely were implemented in 2010 in selected to suffer irreversible physical and mental Overview of geographies, namely Bangladesh and damage, and be more susceptible to Indonesia. Over the next few years, illness throughout their life. This can result Project Laser Beam interventions were ramped up. By in lost opportunities to grow, flourish September 2014 when the partnership and reach their potential in adulthood. The idea of the Project Laser Beam came to an official close, a total of The World Bank reports that the economic partnership was first conceived at 12 interventions had been implemented costs of undernutrition are substantial: the World Economic Forum in Davos in Bangladesh and six in Indonesia. economic productivity losses to individuals in January 2009. It was unveiled in are estimated at more than 10 percent September 2009 at the Clinton Global of lifetime earnings, and losses to gross Initiative meeting in New York by the domestic product for countries may founding partners the UN World Food be as high as 2 to 3 percent annually.6 Programme (WFP), Unilever, Mondelez The consequences of child undernutrition International Foundation (formerly do not only impact individuals in Kraft Foods Foundation), Dutch life adulthood; they are passed on to the next sciences group DSM and the Global generation as undernourished girls and Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). women have children of their own. A five-year, multi-million dollar public Child undernutrition has both direct and private partnership, the aim of Project underlying causes. Direct causes include Laser Beam was to create a scalable, an inadequate dietary intake providing replicable and sustainable programme insufficient nutrients, and common model to significantly reduce child infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, undernutrition, contributing to the which eliminates nutrients before they achievement of the first Millennium can be fully absorbed by the body. Development Goal (MDG) of Underlying causes include impacts at eradicating poverty and hunger. household and community levels, such as household food insecurity, inadequate Project Laser Beam takes an holistic care for women and children, unhealthy approach, bringing together the expertise household environments, poor health and of the United Nations and other public hygiene practices, and income poverty. agencies with that of Fortune 500 companies, governments, NGOs and
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 7 The Partners Project Laser Beam embraced a multi-stakeholder model, tapping into the core expertise and competencies of each stakeholder to deliver maximum impact to beneficiaries. The five global founding partners: the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Unilever, Mondelez International Foundation (formerly Kraft Foods Foundation), Dutch life sciences group DSM, and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), worked with local implementing partners in Bangladesh and Indonesia to carry out holistic and coordinated nutrition interventions. The overall programme management of the partnership was supported by Accenture Development Partnerships. Each made a significant contribution to the partnership.
Global Partners The founding partners of Project Collectively, they contributed in many Laser Beam provided the backbone areas, providing thought leadership, of the partnership, establishing advocacy support, capacity building, the partnership governance and programme implementation, monitoring supporting the implementation of and evaluation, and in-kind funding. interventions across both the countries. The global partners were:
Unilever: The world’s leading fast-moving consumer goods company with products sold in over 190 countries.
World Food Programme (WFP): The world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, WFP is part of the United Nations system.
Royal DSM: A global science-based company active in health nutrition and materials.
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN): A global alliance that supports public-private partnerships to increase access to the missing nutrients in diets necessary for people, communities and economies to be stronger and healthier.
Mondelez International Foundation: The foundation of Mondelez International, one of the world’s largest snacks companies, Mondelez International Foundation focuses on empowering families and communities to lead healthier lives.
Additionally the overall programme management of the partnership was provided by Accenture Development Partnerships:
Accenture Development Partnerships: A business unit within Accenture which provides business and technology services to the international development sector, operating on a non-profit basis.
8 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions Implementation Partners Accenture Development Partnerships: makes the core skills and assets Part of the global consulting firm of Accenture accessible to the Accenture, Accenture Development international development sector to Partnerships employs an innovative help strengthen organisations and not-for-profit business model that build emerging markets from within.
Implementation Partners Roles
Implemented programmes supporting women to continue education BRAC, one of the world’s largest international development Provided funding for livelihoods development programmes organisations based in Bangladesh Distributed micronutrient powders for home fortification
Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB), non-government organisation dedicated to the protection and promotion Implemented food cart solutions of consumers’ rights and interests in the country
Friendship, an NGO based in Bangladesh Implemented a three–tier health programme and livelihood activities
Provided funding GarudaFood, an Indonesian food and beverage company Developed Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (LNS) and provided in-kind donation of LNS
Helen Keller International, an international Assisted with the implementation of the homestead food production model with non-profit organisation support from the Mondelez International Foundation
A partner (specifically the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education) in the school-feeding programmes Government of Bangladesh Ministry of Industries implemented a programme together with GAIN to fortify vegetable oil with Vitamin A
Supported Project Laser Beam through its nutrition programmes facilitated by Government of Indonesia the Ministry of People Welfare, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Development Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and local governments
JITA, a joint venture social business of Implemented income generation programmes CARE and Danone
PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, a major Provided funding Indonesian company involved in the food industry Provided reformulated complementary food in Indonesia
UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Implemented a salt iodization programme together with GAIN Fund focused on children and child rights A partner in the vegetable oil fortification programme
WaterAid, an international non-profit Contributed expertise on water and sanitation, including implementing sanitation organisation and drinking water infrastructure, and behavioural change campaigns
Yayasan Kegizian untuk Pengembangan Fortifikasi Pangan Implemented programme to fortify vegetable oil with Vitamin A Indonesia, an Indonesian nutrition foundation for food fortification
Many of the founding partners themselves also implemented interventions in-country, including WFP, GAIN, DSM and Unilever.
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 9 Key Achievements and Learnings
As of July 2014, 2.48 million people participated in the different Project Laser Beam interventions in Bangladesh and 424,0008 in Indonesia. As the majority of the Project Laser Beam beneficiaries were involved in more than one intervention, the aggregate number of individual beneficiaries is lower. Of the total beneficiaries reached by Project Laser Beam, an estimated 1.74 million new beneficiaries (i.e., new to nutrition support) were reached by the partnership interventions.
1 Tackling child undernutrition holistically
The key characteristic of Project Laser Beam is its holistic approach. To tackle child undernutrition, it addresses both the direct and the underlying causes of undernutrition.
To do this, it leveraged the proven multi- child and maternal undernutrition.10 catalogue of potential interventions. stakeholder platform and methodology of REACH promotes a holistic solution- These included the REACH interventions the Renewed Efforts Against Child Hunger oriented approach, putting the child and interventions identified to address and undernutrition (REACH) partnership.9 at the centre of nutrition interventions gaps and allow for private sector that are designed to complement each contribution. Project Laser Beam REACH was established in 2008 by other and provide a complete solution. categorised the interventions into four the Food and Agricultural Organisation A similar holistic approach was used programmatic pillars that would enable (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund by Project Laser Beam with stronger partners to work together using a holistic (UNICEF), WFP and the World Health emphasis on implementation in targeted approach to address child undernutrition. Organisation (WHO) to assist governments regions and private sector involvement. of countries with a high burden of child A programme of multiple interventions and maternal undernutrition to accelerate The initial needs analysis for Project across the four programmatic pillars was the scale-up of food and nutrition actions. Laser Beam was based on the study set in place, with partners actively working REACH adopts a cross-cutting approach undertaken by the Boston Consulting together to create the links between focus that helps governments organise partners Group for REACH. The analysis helped areas in order to develop a complete and around a common vision, objectives map out nutrition activities in the targeted complementary package of interventions. and goals to agree on priority nutrition geographies, namely Bangladesh and and food security actions to reduce Indonesia. It also saw the assembly of a
1. Food and Micronutrients 2. Water and Sanitation 3. Health and Hygience 4. Food Security and Income Generation Directly providing food Providing clean drinking Addressing underlying causes and micronutrients water and sanitation facilities of under nutrition related to lack Providing sustainable (Examples: school feeding (Examples: installing safe of basic healthcare / hygiene opportunities for communities programmes, micronutrient water facilities, installation and nutrition diseases to address the underlying powders, fortified oils, etc.) of latrines, etc.) (e.g. diarrhea) (Examples: cause of under nutrition mobile health clinics, hand (Examples: income washing programmes etc.) generating activities, homestead farming, etc.)
Figure 1: Project Laser Beam’s four programmatic pillars of nutrition interventions
10 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions Ready-to-use supplementary foods Micronutrient powders Fortified school meals Hand washing campaign Fortified food Health and nutrition education Lipid-based nutrient supplement Community-based healthcare Vitamin A fortified edible oil Iodized salt
Street food vending Latrines and sanitation facilities Village model farms Access to clean water Income-generating models (women) Local homestead food production
Figure 2: The holistic set of Project Laser Beam interventions that address child undernutrition across the four programmatic pillars identified (see Figure 1)
Unilever. This initiative fell into Pillar 1: The value of employing a holistic Key Learning Food & Micronutrients. The partners soon approach to address child undernutrition A holistic approach addressing both discovered gaps in the solution: while is well recognised in the child nutrition direct and underlying issues of child children were getting nutritious food sector. The SUN Movement,11 which undernutrition by implementing they had no access to clean drinking is currently working in 53 countries interventions in a complementary water or to facilities for basic sanitation (including Project Laser Beam target way will create sustainable impact. and hygiene (i.e., washing their hands). countries, Bangladesh and Indonesia) To address this, Unilever channelled to scale up nutrition, uses a similar The holistic approach of Project Laser additional resources through WaterAid, approach. Countries participating in the Beam facilitated the implementation an international non-profit organisation, SUN Movement collaborate to establish of interventions across all four of the to provide access to clean drinking and advance new transformative Project Laser Beam programmatic water as well as basic sanitation in these ways of working. They follow a dual pillars. A good example of this is seen schools. This intervention was part of approach within national development in the organic development of the Pillar 2: Water & Sanitation. This then programmes12 to effectively implement first school-feeding programmes of formed the platform for implementing hand both specific actions for nutrition and Project Laser Beam in Bangladesh washing campaigns, which was part of for nutrition-sensitive strategies. into comprehensive programmes Pillar 3: Health & Hygiene. To complete addressing the direct (micronutrient- In 2013, Project Laser Beam shared the support of the school ecosystem, deficient diet) and underlying causes Mondelez International Foundation worked its learnings with the SUN Movement of undernutrition, namely health and with the intent of broadening Project with Helen Keller International (HKI) to hygiene, water and sanitation, and food set up homestead gardens. This gave Laser Beam’s reach at a global level. security and income generation. The founding partners of Project Laser the children access to nutritious food to consume at home, tackling the key issues Beam, Unilever, DSM, GAIN and WFP In Bangladesh, partners supported addressed in Pillar 4: Food Security & are also part of the SUN Movement. school-feeding programmes with Income Generation. knowledge and funds, with WFP distributing fortified biscuits funded by
“Project Laser Beam has proven that the private sector can offer innovative solutions and take them to scale. Initially, private partners in Project Laser Beam focused on nutrition-sensitive interventions such as school feeding and boosting income and investment for the ultra-poor and were hesitant to support nutrition-specific interventions. Now the private sector is investing in interventions that combine income-generating activities for pregnant women and new mothers with a specific focus on the ”window of opportunity” for children below two. Behavioural change communications on infant and young child feeding as well as hygiene practices have proven to be absolutely essential. Project Laser Beam has demonstrated great success in bringing together many different nutrition related activities in the same geographical location. In this way, synergy and spillover effects have been achieved.”
Christa Räder, WFP’s country director for Bangladesh
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 11 2 Transforming partnerships
In a recent report entitled “Catalysing Transformational Partnerships between the United Nations and Business” published by the UN Global Compact in cooperation with Unilever and Dalberg, a transformational partnership is defined as a multi-stakeholder engagement that restructures the rules of the game to make markets work, improve the enabling environment, and set global norms.13 Project Laser Beam was identified in this report as a transformational partnership based on the following characteristics:
It addresses a systemic issue: interventions. NGOs understand Project Laser Beam has also been Child undernutrition is the underlying the needs and situations of local recognised in a recent UK Department cause of 45 percent of all deaths of communities and have the experience for International Development (DFID) children under five years of age.14 to implement solutions for maximum funded report published by The Partnering impact on the ground. Governments Initiative (TPI) in 2014 as one of the most It involves relevant stakeholders. have the policy and decision-making successful partnership platforms around The partnership brings together UN power to support implementations the world.15 This report was used as input entities with Fortune 500 companies, into the Global Partnership for Effective public sector and non-governmental Capacity for scale and lasting impact. Development Cooperation (GPEDC) organisations to work on integrated Project Laser Beam interventions and supports the emerging findings solutions to address child undernutrition. were designed to change market of the UN’s Report of the High-Level dynamics and behaviours, and to Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post- Partners complement each other. complement each other, creating 2015 Development Agenda on the role UN agencies have convening power, an enabling and sustainable of the private sector in development. experience and an understanding of environment. This will help ensure that the nutritional needs of the targeted when Project Laser Beam initiatives beneficiaries, as well as expertise conclude in 2014, local communities, Key Learning in accessing challenging locations. governments, civil society and partner To create a transformational partnership, Private sector partners have expertise companies continue to benefit. recognise the aspirations of each in the fields of nutritious product partner and provide the opportunity development, income generation, for each partner to contribute based supply chain development, on their core expertise. This helps management and consumer behaviour. ensure that all partners can collaborate They also have the in-country presence and contribute effectively. to effectively broker and implement
NGOs Governments Go - Able to drive development outcomes ve Donor Governments s rn in a scalable and sustainable manner O m - Able to drive development outcomes G e - Access to additional resources N n in a scalable and sustainable manner t (funds and skills) s Local Country Governments - To drive national strategy on child nutrition - Access to additional resources (funds and skills) Addressing child under nutrition
UN Agencies Private sector U r o - Access to additional resources N t - Able to do social good A c (funds and skills) g e whilst doing business e S - Able to drive development outcomes n e - Can drive their sustainability c at ie iv in a scalable and sustainable manner s Pr and CSR agendas
Figure 3. Opportunities across sectors in partnerships
12 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions 3 Targeting whole communities
When Project Laser Beam began, the initial focus of the public sector was on the first 1,000 days from conception to two years of age as nutritional intervention and support throughout this period have an immediate and long-term effect on children’s growth, health, learning ability and future productivity. As the partnership progressed, the target group of beneficiaries was expanded to include communities as this would help ensure continuous and sustainable support for children at risk.
In effect, Project Laser Beam expanded Key Learning Key Learning its reach to encompass the nutritional The issue of undernutrition is not It is not always simple or easy for all lifecycle, targeting not only pregnant and confined to the child alone; it includes partners to contribute to all beneficiaries. lactating women and children during the mothers, women of child-bearing age 1,000 days’ window of opportunity, but and others in the community that play Not all Project Laser Beam partners’ also school age children, adolescent a substantial role in the child’s life. business or activity portfolios cover all the girls and the communities in which these different groups of beneficiaries. The food children live. This broader approach The challenge of intergenerational cycles companies, for example, by international allowed Project Laser Beam partners with of undernutrition in Bangladesh offers a agreement18 may not offer products for different areas of expertise to provide suitable example. Here, small mothers children under six months of age, while nutrition solutions (from micronutrient who are themselves stunted by chronic other partners were able address this age powders and fortified foods to expertise in undernutrition give birth to low birth-weight group though breastfeeding promotion. growing food gardens and hand washing) babies. These babies are more likely By expanding the target beneficiaries to that were core to their organisation’s to have growth failure. This, combined whole communities, Project Laser Beam competencies. In the Satkhira district with inadequate food intake and caring partners had a broader opportunity in Bangladesh, Project Laser Beam practices may lead to stunting, being to contribute to addressing child achieved coverage of 327,000 (35 underweight as child and teenager. undernutrition. In addition, continuity percent) women of reproductive age, The situation is further exacerbated by of support after the first 1,000-day children six to 59 months and girls five to high rates of adolescent pregnancy, interventions was assured, increasing 14 years old. This compares to 170,000 which may lead to the birth of another the sustainability of the interventions as (8 percent) women of reproductive age, low birth-weight newborn.17 Breaking the child remained healthy for longer. children six to 59 months and girls five to this cycle requires a multi-dimensional 14 years old in the East Nusa Tenggara approach that focusses not just on the province in Indonesia. In both cases the child but also on improving the nutritional 2009/2010 baseline was zero. status of women and adolescent girls, delaying marriage and first pregnancy, and improving education and livelihood opportunities for women.
Communities
Newborn to 6 months (lactating women)
Pregnant women Children 6-23 months Window of Opportunity
Adolescent girls Children 24-59 months
School-aged children (primary)
Communities
Figure 4: Project Laser Beam Target Beneficiaries16
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 13 4 Creating an enabling environment for both traditional development and market-based solutions
Being a public private partnership, Project Laser Beam implemented both traditional development and market-based interventions. This enabled the public and private sector partners to contribute and work together to address child undernutrition.
The public sector partners implemented Maintaining phase Communities able to manage interventions ranging from supplementary on their own and complementary feeding through large scale staple food fortification to promoting Funding: Pay for services + Social Investment breast feeding and running school Implementing phase feeding programmes. The private sector Roll-out interventions partners, on the other hand, contributed Funding: Public + Private their expertise in the development of innovative approaches (e.g., product Start-up Phase development, behavioural change, etc.) Create enabling and to create economic opportunities environment
across the four programmatic Sustainability Funding: Public + pillars of Project Laser Beam. Private (where applicable)
Time Figure 5. Evolutionary Funding Model for Partnerships
14 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions WFP/Kauser Haider Key Learning Key Learning An enabling environment – with the right Innovating solutions according to market- infrastructure, regulations and policies, based research can provide newer ways and government support – is vital to of addressing child undernutrition. enable both public and private sector partners to contribute in the best way While the impact of traditional nutritional possible based on their core expertise. solutions cannot be disputed, exploring newer innovative solutions to address child While public sector partners can, for the undernutrition was one of the objectives most part, draw on their experience in of Project Laser Beam. One such example rolling out traditional solutions to address is the Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements development issues, the environment (LNS) intervention in Indonesia. This to enable private sector partners to intervention aimed to build local capacity implement market-based solutions does within Indonesia to produce two LNS for not always exist. Consequently, private children aged six to 24 months to address sector organisations have spent a high the high prevalence of malnutrition and, proportion of their resources to build this in particular, prevent and treat moderate enabling environment as opposed to acute malnutrition (MAM) among the most putting their core expertise to use. This vulnerable population groups in the East “burden” has restricted private sector Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. companies from concentrating fully on LNS are ready-to-use foods which provide developing market-based solutions. a range of vitamins and minerals, as well as energy, protein and essential fatty acids Building an enabling environment was (EFA). LNS formulations and doses can critical for Project Laser Beam - not be tailored to meet the nutrient needs of only in terms of maximising impact specific groups for whom they are intended but also to secure the sustainability of and to fit in particular programmatic interventions. A relevant example was contexts. Previous studies showed that Unilever’s support of WaterAid to provide LNS has significant impact on infant water and sanitation infrastructure to growth, the development and micronutrient schools in Bangladesh. As a result of this status of children and of pregnant and intervention, an enabling environment lactating women. LNS products do not was created, not only to implement require preparation in the home and Unilever´s hand washing programme, are safely stored without refrigeration. but also to help maximise the impact of They have low moisture content and do the nutrition interventions in the schools. not require dilution or cooking, so risk of contamination is low. The goal of this Recommendation: Creating an enabling project was to improve nutritional status environment should be a priority at the of 15,000 children aged six to 24 months commencement of the partnership as in the South Central Timor district. this will help ensure that interventions can be implemented sustainably and DSM’s role in this intervention was to that all partners are able to contribute provide technical assistance to WFP in effectively. Creation of an enabling developing a premix tailored for the first environment should be strongly driven by local LNS recipes, as well as to provide the public sector as their traditional role the needed premix and ensure the quality within society empowers them to do so. of the micronutrient content of the newly Support from private sector partners with developed product. In addition, DSM expertise in the relevant areas should covered part of the programme staffing also be leveraged. The SUN Movement cost. WFP developed and implemented a has also recognised the need for an social marketing strategy for introducing enabling environment. It set up four global and promoting the LNS, as well as networks - a Donor Network, Business organised technical consultations to Network, United Nations (UN) Network ensure the development of national and the Civil Society Network - to facilitate standards for the LNS product range the effective contribution of each sector. and to discuss scale-up options for the product through social safety nets.
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 15 5 Selecting the “right” geographies
As its name suggests, the partnership was about taking a “laser beam” focus on selected geographies, namely Bangladesh and Indonesia, to maximise the collective impact of interventions in areas of great need. Both countries have high levels of stunting and wasting amongst children under five.19 This targeted approach allowed Project Laser Beam to pilot innovative interventions and obtain learnings around tackling child undernutrition that can be shared with the wider community, replicated and scaled up.
The Project Laser Beam partners agreed The notion had been that a strong Key Learning that Bangladesh and Indonesia as market-based pull would be an asset, Focus efforts on a single geography whole countries were too large to tackle but choosing places that were not or reduced geographies to maximise at once and that they needed to work viable for business (e.g., due to extreme impact when resources are limited. within a reasonable scale to achieve weather, lack of infrastructure, etc.) impact and results within the partnership made it impossible to test that premise. Project Laser Beam had limited resources. timeline. They narrowed their focus to As a result, Project Laser Beam’s private Sharing them across two very different specific regions within these countries, sector partners were constrained in geographies proved challenging in selecting specific sub-districts or terms of rolling out their market-based terms of prioritising work. During the “Upazilas” (Assasuni, Debhata, Kalaroa, solutions. Instead, they had to invest in partnership review in 2012, partners Kaliganj, Satkhira Sadar, Shyamnagar setting up this enabling environment, thus agreed to reprioritise Bangladesh and Tala) in the Satkhira district of which took more effort and time than ahead of Indonesia. This would enable Bangladesh and the Kupang and South expected. Public sector partners were them to leverage resources more Central Timor districts of the East Nusa also constrained as they could not tap effectively to maximise impact and Tenggara province in Indonesia. into the core expertise of private sector scale in a single geography. As a result, partners to deliver a holistic solution. all new investments and resources were channelled into Bangladesh. Key Learning If the selection of the target regions had This helped drive more directed been based on analysis of “greatest When choosing target locations, select efforts to create deeper impact. geographies that enable all stakeholders needs” along with “readiness of the in the partnership to contribute and enabling environment”, investment by It was challenging to target all members benefit from their contribution in a way private sector partners and potential new of the community and to coordinate all that creates sustainable impact. partners may have been much higher. efforts in a single geography, especially as Project Laser Beam was working Recommendation: When working In an attempt to improve child across multiple sectors (i.e., hygiene, in a public private partnership, nutrition among the poorest and nutrition, education, food security, etc.). partners should choose regions that most undernourished populations in It required a strong local coordination have an enabling environment (e.g. Bangladesh and Indonesia, Project effort amongst partners who do not infrastructure, regulations and policies, Laser Beam selected regions where normally work across sectors. Thus, in and government support) in place or infrastructure was lacking and populations addition to prioritising Bangladesh ahead where there is local government support were hard to access, and even the of Indonesia, the partnership review to create an enabling environment. most basic business ideas were hard in 2012 also reprioritised specific sub- to envisage. This made it challenging districts or “Upazilas” in Bangladesh, for businesses to innovate against assuring that undernutrition in these undernutrition in ways that might ultimately communities was tackled holistically dovetail with their own business plans. and in a sustainable manner.
Bangladesh Indonesia
Satkhira East Nusa Tenggara
Figure 6. Targeted Geographies for Project Laser Beam
16 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions WFP/Masud Al Mamun © GAIN
WFP/Masud Al Mamun WFP/Aline d’Ormesson WFP/Ha’i Ragalawa
WaterAid/Katja Freiwald WFP/Erik Nugroho WFP/Masud Al Mamun
JITA/Hafizur Rahman WaterAid/Katja Freiwald Lessons from a five -year, global public -private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 17 6 Scaling up rather than re-inventing the wheel
Child undernutrition is not a new issue. Many tried-and-tested solutions exist today that can be replicated and scaled up in different parts of the world. To save up-front investment in research and development and speed up implementation, Project Laser Beam replicated and scaled up a number of existing solutions. These included:
School Feeding Programmes Micronutrients Programmes Iodized Salt and Fortified Oil This intervention provides children with To improve the nutrition and food The fortification of staple foods and a fortified meal or snack at school. It security situation in East Nusa Tenggara, condiments that are eaten by everyone ensures school-aged children are well Indonesia, WFP distributed Micronutrient with essential vitamins and minerals is nourished and builds on the gains made in Powders (MNPs) for primary school an important and cost-effective strategy the crucial 1,000 days from conception to children supported by DSM. School to fight malnutrition. Spending as little as two years of age. A daily school meal also meals should provide children with a 10 extra cents per person per year can provides a strong incentive for parents to nutritious meal, including both macro- significantly improve the nutritional value send children to school and keep them nutrients (protein, fat, calories) as well as of food, positively impacting health. there. In 2013, WFP provided school meals micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals). to 19.8 million children in 63 countries.20 Where school meals are predominantly In Bangladesh and Indonesia, GAIN composed of unprocessed locally worked with partners in government, The school-feeding programmes available foods, predominantly unfortified industry and civil society to create implemented in Project Laser Beam plant source foods, micronutrient content the enabling regulatory environments included provision of hot meals is very often inadequate to meet WFP and develop the technical expertise (Indonesia) and high-energy biscuits school feeding minimum standards. These to fortify vegetable oil with vitamin A (Bangladesh). In Bangladesh, WFP minimum standards are set at such a level and, in Bangladesh, fortify edible salt distributed high-energy biscuits that the school meal should contributes with iodine. Consumer awareness supported by DSM, Unilever and other 50-75% of the child’s daily recommended campaigns are a further critical element private sector partners. In Indonesia, the micronutrient intake in order to that makes this market-based approach Project Laser Beam partners sourced complement the child’s home diet where to bringing more micronutrients to ingredients locally from the community it typically has limited diversity, consisting whole populations sustainable. for the hot meals, which gave the mainly of unfortified cereals, legumes and Under GAIN’s cooperation with UNICEF, community a stake in the programme some vegetables. Thus, while the use up to 695,086 people were reached and enhanced its sustainability. (See the of locally grown food in school feeding with vitamin A-fortified oil in Satkhira, case study on Indonesia on page 36) programmes is often preferred, for good Bangladesh by 2014. All were new reasons, the micronutrient content of Under Project Laser Beam, about 48,000 beneficiaries. Of those beneficiaries, up these meals may need to be increased. school children (49 percent of them girls) to 326,690 are women of reproductive Micronutrient powders (MNP), which are received school meals in the Satkhira age, children under five and girls aged added to the meal just before serving and district of Bangladesh in 2014 while five to 14 years. In Indonesia, up to can be packaged in multi-serving sachets 13,164 children (51 percent of them girls) 397,322 people were reached with vitamin (e.g., eight grams sachet for 20 meals), received school meals in Indonesia’s A-fortified oil. All were new beneficiaries, is a very practical and low cost way of East Nusa Tenggara province in 2013. of which up to 170,247 were women adding micronutrients to local school of reproductive age, children under meals. The target beneficiaries were over five and girls aged five to 14 years. 13,000 students aged six to 12 years from 60 different schools in Kupang and South The number of beneficiaries consuming Central Timor districts. iodized salt increased in Satkhira, Bangladesh, from 1,016,811 in 2005/06 by While specific Project Laser Beam over 10 percent. In 2014, about 58 percent target areas were Kupang and South of households consume iodized salt. Central Timor districts, the potential for scale-up of MNPs through Indonesia’s School Canteen Programme or Pemberian Makanan Tambahan Anak Sekolah (PMT-AS) is much greater, with the opportunity for national coverage (currently there are approximately two million primary school students enrolled in the Programme in 33 districts across Indonesia, with possibility for roll-out in many more districts). Furthermore, WFP/Erik Nugroho MNPs could also be provided in the © GAIN future through other institutional feeding, including secondary, boarding and private schools, using the same product.
18 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions Hand Washing Programmes Village Model Farms (VMF) and also They receive commission based on 26 Diarrhoea is one of the direct causes helps households to establish home sales. The products in these baskets are of undernutrition. It is caused by poor gardens (cultivation of vegetables and sourced from private companies and have sanitation, unsafe drinking water, and a fruit crops around the house) and small a viable distribution commission structure. 24 lack of hygiene – i.e., not washing hands animal husbandry, mainly poultry. This model and a similar approach with soap before handling children’s called “Shakti” have been successfully In partnership with WFP and the Mondelez food. Each year, more than two million rolled out by Unilever in India, Vietnam, International Foundation, HKI promoted children worldwide under the age of five Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, which has diversified household food production, die from diarrhoea and pneumonia.21 helped more than 75,000 rural women to including improved homestead Evidence shows that hand washing with often double their own household income production, poultry and improved soap can reduce the risk of diarrhoeal and providing their community with marketing of agricultural products for diseases by 42 to 47 percent.22 greater accessibility to basic products Project Laser Beam in Bangladesh. The The hand washing intervention in Project programme concentrated on establishing This model was replicated in Project Laser Beam was implemented by Unilever VMFs, including nursery and poultry Laser Beam through a partnership with the support of local non-government models, year-round homestead gardens, between JITA Bangladesh and Unilever. organisations in both Bangladesh and improving poultry rearing and providing It empowered 200 poor marginalised Indonesia. Promoting hand washing is nutrition education. In total, 80 VMFs women by providing them with an part of Unilever´s commitment in the area were established, with each earning opportunity for employment. The result of health and wellbeing to the Unilever an average of BDT 1,900 (~US$24) of this programme was a 36 percent Sustainability Living Plan, which aims to per month from gardening and poultry increase of the annual household help more than a billion people take action activities (an increase from BDT 1,000 income of the 200 recruited Aparajitas, to improve their health and wellbeing. per month at the same time last year). assisting them to generate household Additionally average household income income and further empowering them The hand washing programme rolled from vegetable cultivation and poultry to make household-related decisions. out through Project Laser Beam rearing has almost doubled, at BDT to over 427,545 beneficiaries. 473 (~US$6) per month compared with BDT 217 (~US$3) at baseline. Key Learning Scaling up successfully implemented In Indonesia, 4,001 households solutions not only saves time and effort received training on improved poultry but also increases impact as there production practices under this is continuous improvement whereby partnership, implemented by HKI. learnings from previous programmes are incorporated into newer designs.
Models such as the school feeding programmes, large-scale food fortification, hand washing programmes and © Unilever “Aparajitas” Rural Sales programmes that were replicated in Project Laser Homestead food production model Beam have been previously implemented Helen Keller International (HKI) has been elsewhere and improved over time implementing homestead food production based on learnings from the past. programmes (HFPP) coupled with nutrition WFP/Masud Al Mamun education in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Recommendation: When selecting tried- Nepal and the Philippines for more than a “Aparajitas” Rural Sales Programmes and-tested solutions, ensure that they decade.23 The HFPP model targets women can be adapted and customised to local JITA Bangladesh, a joint venture social requirements and context. For example, from poor house¬holds as the primary business of CARE and Danone, works beneficiaries, placing farming inputs, the school meals programme for Project through a unique rural distribution model Laser Beam in Indonesia was adapted to knowledge and skills at their disposal to that empowers poor women and creates not only increase and ensure year-round suite the local tastes of the school children market access to impactful goods (i.e., hot rice meals versus biscuits). availability and intake of micronutrient-rich and services in Bangladesh. This JITA foods in poor households (particularly by distribution model relies on JITA sales women and children) but also increase ladies known as Aparajitas25 to carry household income through homestead product baskets of goods for health, food production activities. HKI works in hygiene, nutrition and agriculture, door to collaboration with local partner NGOs door in their underserved communities. and government structures to establish
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 19 7 Operating efficiently
The initial partnership operating model was led by a single global partner, the World Food Programme, who not only managed and coordinated the partnership but also implemented nutrition interventions in-country. This inequitable balance of workload put an additional burden on a single partner. Due to this challenge, a decentralised and consensus-driven operating model was established to manage Project Laser Beam. A secretariat, driven by an external third party, Accenture Development Partnerships, provided global programme and partnership management for Project Laser Beam.
Moving to a decentralised consensus- was implemented to ensure that the Additionally the M&E framework driven model enabled all partners to partners were empowered to deliver should be designed using a bottom-up play to their strengths and manage their roles to create impact. At the approach (i.e. engage with those who their designated interventions. Each global level, partners came together will implement the work to get their input partner was able to focus on their in a steering committee on a regular on what is feasible to be measured and core competencies, the burden of a basis to share information, discuss monitored) as this not only increases single partner having to coordinate the and resolve operational issues, and ownership and buy-in of M&E activities partnership was relieved, and transparency monitor and review progress. The by the implementation partners but across the partnership was improved. secretariat managed the day-to-day also creates an M&E framework that activities of the partnership, ranging is practical and realistic to implement In addition to establishing a secretariat to from project management to monitoring based on experience on-the-ground. manage and coordinate the partnership, and evaluation. In-country, a country Project Laser Beam developed a structured coordinator managed the local Honest Partnership Reviews: To governance model, implemented a implementing partners to plan and carry ensure that the partnership as a whole monitoring and evaluation framework, out interventions and coordinate efforts was working efficiently, two internal established partner reviews and carefully across the four programmatic pillars. and one external partnership review defined partnership parameters. were conducted over the partnership Rigorous Monitoring and Evaluation lifespan. Feedback from these reviews (M&E) Framework: M&E was managed was incorporated back into the Key Learning by GAIN for the overall partnership. partnership for improvement. Some key Establishing a secretariat to manage The evaluation framework compiled outcomes from the reviews included and coordinate the partnership frees individual interventions, looked at their prioritising Bangladesh over Indonesia up the partners to focus on their core overall contribution to Project Laser and sharing Project Laser Beam competencies and increases transparency Beam’s aims and tracked progress. learnings with the SUN Movement. and communication across the partnership. Local implementing partners provided reports twice per year covering their No expansion of global partners The Project Laser Beam secretariat targets and achievements, as well as beyond the founding partners: Project was managed by a neutral third party, success stories in terms of how their Laser Beam’s focus was on delivering Accenture Development Partnership, activities impacted lives. solutions locally and engaging with the which freed up the partners to focus on right partners in-country. As such, the implementing the intervention. In addition Recommendation: Establish a rigorous global founding partners decided to not to establishing a secretariat to manage and M&E framework with upfront baseline reach out to other global partners. This coordinate the partnership, a structured analysis to monitor and track progress decision was also influenced by the governance model, a monitoring and throughout the partnership. Reliable data limited timeline. evaluation framework, and partnership not only allows for better impact analysis reviews and parameters were established. but also shows how efficiently funds Recommendation: Decide and commit are being utilised when addressing a at the very beginning of the partnership Structured Governance Model: development issue. The value of good on expanding the partnership. A three-tiered governance model data cannot be underemphasised.
Steering Committee Project Laser Beam Steering Committee Consensus-driven decision making (not made bilaterally or by a single partner) Unilever Mondelez DSM GAIN WFP Meets quarterly for strategic decisions on global Project Laser Beam direction and plans Project Laser Beam Secretariat Secretariat Project Partnership Monitoring & Empowered governing body that ensures neutrality and flexibility to drive activites Management Office Management Evaluation forward, supported by Project Laser Beam partners with required competencies
Knowledge & Coordinates PLB global activities such as partner engagement, PMO, Communications Research communications + supports local country teams in M&E and PMO
Bangladesh Coordination Indonesia Coordination Country Coordinator Project Laser Project Laser Coordinate country activities Beam Coordinator Beam Coordinator Includes local partners representatives to form required working groups
Figure 7. Project Laser Beam Governance Model 20 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions 8 Collaborating with a larger global child nutrition platform or agenda
Alignment with local and national development goals was inherent in all in-country interventions. For example, in Bangladesh, Project Laser Beam activities were aligned to the National Food Policy Plan of Action (2008-2015) and the Bangladesh Country Investment Plan (2011-2015). On the other hand, Project Laser Beam was never fully embedded into the national nutrition agenda of Bangladesh and Indonesia due to the lack of advocacy. Additionally as there are many other similar initiatives working with or being implemented by the governments, it was difficult to get them to prioritise Project Laser Beam in their national agenda.
To achieve long-term impact it is Key Learning imperative that governmental policies are To achieve long-term impact it is imperative in place to support interventions to deliver that government policies are in place to sustainable impact. Partnerships such support interventions to deliver sustainable as Project Laser Beam could contribute impact. A large multi-stakeholder platform to the development of policies. However, tackling undernutrition can influence the partnership’s limitations in terms policies positively. Project Laser Beam of geographical scope, resources and and its partners will support the SUN partners were not designed to influence Movement to do so. policies. The partners of Project Laser Beam have recognised there is an inherent Project Laser Beam can contribute need to do so, and it needs to be done to the SUN Business Network through a larger multi-stakeholder platform in the following ways: tackling undernutrition. For Project Laser Beam and its partners, the next step Sharing the experience and is thus to support the SUN Movement lessons learnt by taking a holistic and its networks by sharing the lessons approach to address malnutrition. learnt on multi-stakeholder and multi- sector partnerships through Project Laser Linking global Project Laser Beam’s efforts. The founding partners Beam business partners into of Project Laser Beam, Unilever, DSM, the SUN Business Network. GAIN and WFP, have already signed their Extending engagement to local commitment to the SUN Movement. nutrition stakeholders (e.g., NGOs Shortly after Project Laser Beam was and local municipalities) currently initiated, the SUN Movement was supporting Project Laser Beam. established as a collective effort of Linking to experienced global and governments, civil society, the United local implementing partners who can Nations, donors, businesses and provide subject matter advice. researchers to realise everyone’s right to food and good nutrition. As a country-led This means that even though the movement, the SUN Movement catalyses partnership ends in 2014, the experiences support for the implementation of national and learnings of the partnership will not nutrition plans. Both Bangladesh and end; Project Laser Beam partners will Indonesia, Project Laser Beam’s target continue their fight to eradicate child countries, have joined the SUN Movement. undernutrition via the SUN Movement. The majority of Project Laser Beam’s founding members are also part of the global SUN Movement. Thus, Project Laser Beam has identified the SUN Business Network, the engagement platform for business within the wider SUN Movement, as a suitable platform to share learnings and support scaling up nutrition, which was identified as of major importance during the partnership review in 2012.
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 21 Country Case Studies Bangladesh An inclusive community approach According to the World Food Programme’s new resources would be directed into As indicated in the Key Learnings Bangladesh Nutrition Strategy 2012-2016, Bangladesh. Bangladesh was prioritised and Achievements sections of this undernutrition is a major public health because more interventions were being report, Project Laser Beam has found and economic problem in Bangladesh. implemented there and the majority of the that the right balance between local The strategy also highlights maternal resources were already committed into and global engagement should be undernutrition and early pregnancies as the country. Out of the seven Upazilas struck to maximise impact on the significant challenges, with more than one in the pre-defined district of Satkhira ground. To illustrate this impact within in five newborns having a low birth weight. (Assasuni, Debhata, Kalaroa, Kaliganj, the communities, we have chosen to It surmises that from the beginning of its Satkhira Sadar, Shyamnagar and Tala) share the Bangladesh case studies life the child’s learning and future income in Bangladesh, two Upazilas (Assasuni of Project Laser Beam interventions earning potential is greatly inhibited. and Shyamnagar) were prioritised to from the beneficiaries’ perspectives. further increase impact. Interventions Bangladesh is one of the two priority in these Upazilas were implemented geographies selected by Project Laser across all four of the programmatic Beam. After the partnership review pillars of Project Laser Beam for whole in 2012, it was decided to prioritise communities. This includes children Bangladesh over Indonesia to maximise within the 1,000-day window of impact. This meant that no new Project opportunity, school age children, women Laser Beam interventions would be of reproductive age, pregnant and implemented in Indonesia and all lactating women, and women in general.
Communities 6 (including other women)
Newborn to 6 months (including lactating women)
5 Pregnant Children 6-23 women months 1 Window of Opportunity
4 Women of 2 Children 24-59 reproductive age months
3 School-aged children (primary)
* Based on WFP Bangladesh Lifecycle Nutrition Approach (2012-2016) Food & Micronutrients Pillar Water & Sanitation Pillar Health & Hygiene Pillar Food security & Income Generation Pillar # Case Study Number
Figure 8. Project Laser Beam addresses whole communities in Bangladesh
22 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions The second phase of the programme will 1 Conception - 24 Months 2 24 – 59 months (and older) run until December 2015 and will see (Window of Opportunity) Case Study: Vitamin A Fortification GAIN extending cooperation with the Case Study: First 1,000 Days of Edible Oils (GAIN) Ministry of Industry (MOI) and refineries Programme (WFP, Unilever, BRAC) to reach full-scale sustainable production Food and Micronutrients of quality-assured fortified edible oil. Food and Micronutrients The Bangladesh National Micronutrient At full scale, the project aims to reach WFP along with Unilever and BRAC, Survey (2011 - 2012) showed the an estimated 90 million people, or 57 a Bangladesh-based development prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among percent of the population, with fortified organisation, is implementing a project preschool and school age children vegetable oil. The increased coverage in Satkhira which is particularly targeted to be 20.5 percent and 20.9 percent will contribute to progress towards to the first 1,000 days of a child’s life respectively, putting large numbers the Millennium Development Goals from conception. This project will provide of young people at increased risk of and the food and nutrition targets intensive support to ultra-poor households blindness and unable to fight common set out in Bangladesh’s Sixth Five- with pregnant women and children diseases like diarrhoea and measles. Year Plan 2011 – 2015, by helping to under two year of age, and a community reduce the under-five mortality rate. nutrition safety net to the community at GAIN is implementing a project to reduce large. The targeted ultra-poor household the prevalence of sub-clinical vitamin with pregnant women and children under A deficiency among at-risk groups, two years of age will receive income- including children aged 24 to 59 months, generating training and a cash transfer. through the use of food fortification and Greater control of economic resources, other strategies aimed at improving the training, education and group membership health and nutrition of at-risk groups. will contribute to increased empowerment In the first phase of the programme of women, in turn increasing their ability (January 2010 to June 2013), GAIN to make better nutrition decisions and provided financial and technical choices for their families. Behavioural- support to the Bangladesh government, change nutrition training will also be vegetable oil refineries, national nutrition provided to the wider community, and © GAIN committees and development partners a community nutrition safety net will such as UNICEF to create an enabling be put into place. This nutrition safety environment, raise awareness of the net will improve the nutritional status of benefits of oil fortification with vitamin children under 24 months and pregnant A, improve the quality of fortified oil and and lactating women (PLWs) living scale up fortified oil production to reach in the targeted areas who suffer from the majority of the Bangladeshi population. moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). In 2013, the mandatory fortification of Edible Oil with Vitamin A Bill was passed. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in the edible oil fortification programme in Bangladesh, as it is now mandatory to fortify edible oil with vitamin A. Additionally, the Bill requires use of a fortification logo - developed by GAIN in partnership with UNICEF - on bottles and containers, so that consumers WFP/Masud Al Mamun can easily identify fortified products.
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 23 provision of micronutrient rich biscuits, the father earned less than one dollar per 3 Schoolchildren school feeding programme includes an day, with income dropping even lower Case Study: Holistic School Meal “essential package” to children, parents during the rainy season. With this income Programme (WFP, Unilever, DSM, and other community members. This it is difficult to run a family of five. Mira’s Mondelez International Foundation, involves setting up a school vegetable family is entirely dependent on her father’s WaterAid, Helen Keller International) garden and lessons on water, sanitation income and they have no other assets and hygiene, health, nutrition and than their house and small homestead. Food and Micronutrients social issues, such as dowry and early marriage and pregnancy. In addition, When Mira moved to the village with Water & Sanitation WFP promotes women’s leadership in her family she was very skinny. Since School Management Committees. she joined the school she has become Health & Hygiene healthier and stronger as she receives a In 2014, WFP and the Government of packet of micronutrient fortified biscuits Food security & Income Generation Bangladesh jointly committed to provide within one hour of the start of class. She school food to 2.8 million children – 1.8 is able to drink safe drinking water and The school feeding programme is million assisted by the Government with make use of a sanitary toilet installed by implemented through the Bangladesh its own resources and one million assisted WaterAid. This has improved her health. Directorate of Primary Education by WFP. So far, 300,000 children have Mira’s family is also eating healthier (DPE) under the Ministry of Primary transitioned from the WFP programme food because her mother is now doing and Mass Education (MoPME). NGO to the Government school feeding homestead gardening with training and service providers are also involved in programme. Discussions are now support form Helen Keller International. the implementation of the activity. DPE underway for further handover after 2014, Her mother grows seasonal vegetables officials at the district and sub-district with tentative plans for the Government to in the garden and sells the surplus. levels coordinate the implementation scale up to support three million children, with WFP regional offices and NGOs. of which 500,000 will be handed over Says Mira’s mother: “Since receiving the The NGO service providers manage from WFP. With support from Unilever biscuits at school, Mira has gradually the biscuit distribution from the district through Project Laser Beam, WFP has become healthier and stronger. She is level to the schools. Head teachers are fed 95,000 children in 2011 and 2012 in also more conscious of personal health responsible for the proper storage of Satkhira, and 48,000 children in 2013 and and hygiene issues, and she shares the biscuits and their distribution in the 2014 in Assasuni, an Upazila of Satkhira. her knowledge with her siblings. classroom, while the school management committee supports the activity at One school child benefiting from the “I am also thankful for the assistance of the school and community level. school feeding programme is nine-year Helen Keller International. They have old Mira from the Madarbari Government. taught me homestead gardening and I am Under the school feeding activities, a Primary School in Madabari in the Upazila now able to give vegetables to my children snack of 75 grams of biscuits, fortified with of Assasuni. She has two other siblings. and my husband. In the past we only used vitamins and minerals is provided in the Her father, Mostafizur Rahman, is a poor to eat rice with water. My children and my early hours of school to each pre-primary cart puller and her mother, Nazma Begum, husband love eating vegetables with rice.” and primary school attendee. The biscuits is a housewife. In the past they lived in provide 338 kilocalories per child per the city but migrated to the village as day and satisfy 67 percent of their daily life in the city was expensive. However, micronutrient needs. In addition to the they continued to live in poverty as her
WFP/Masud Al Mamun WFP/Masud Al Mamun
24 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions WFP/Masud Al Mamun independent sales woman. She started to generate income from them and how 4 Women of reproductive age working as an Aparajita with an investment to diversify that income. It also aimed to Women in general play a critical role in of BDT 500 (~US$6) and sold the strengthen her decision-making abilities address child undernutrition as evidence products instantly to women around her regarding her assets (and in other aspects shows that improving women’s economic neighbourhood. Her status has risen and of her life), give her the ability to plan status relative to that of men, both within she now earns more money and is able to for the future and also equip her with the household and the community, not take better care of her family. knowledge of her rights and entitlements. only improves women’s nutritional health Says Ashura: “Being an Aparajita has Farida was given one cow and 10 but that also that of their children.27 proved to be a blessing for me. My special chickens as a part of her asset transfer. Case Study 1: Sustainable Social concern was for my husband’s treatment She was also given four sheets of tin to Business Model providing access and children’s wellbeing. This is a precious extend her home and provide a shelter to basic daily life products income generating opportunity.” for her assets. She was further given (Unilever, JITA Bangladesh) a subsistence allowance which was sufficient to supplement the costs of food Food Security & Income Generation every day, and gave her enough time to continue to work at odd jobs and generate As a sustainable social business model, income from her assets. This allowed her JITA implemented its Rural Supply Chain to save some money, which she was then model in Satkhira. This model empowers able to use for further income generation. poor marginalised women through an employment opportunity, with each JITA Farida was also assisted by the Gram sales women selling and promoting a Daridra Bimochan Committee or GDBC basket of health and hygiene products to JITA/Omar Serniabat (Village Poverty Alleviation Committee) an average of 50 households. In addition, in Jalalabad to enrol her two daughters, approximately 2,000 primary school going Asma and Mita, in school. The GDBC mobilised BDT 1500 (~US$19) for her children are educated regarding health, Case Study 2: Targeting Ultra-Poor husband’s medical treatment, the Project hygiene and nutrition through a school Women (Unilever, BRAC) gardening programme which is part of the Laser Beam STUP programme’s health demand creation model. These children are Food Security & Income Generation care services component also provided educated and provided with lessons around her with medicine worth BDT 730 (~US$9). sustainable consumption and developing Unilever is supporting the BRAC Finally, Farida was also provided with an income source through gardening. The programme through its “Challenging the confidence-building training, which aimed positive impacts include the following: Frontiers of Poverty Reduction, Targeting to build her social networks, inspire her to the Ultra Poor” programme (CFPR-TUP). work with others in a team and give her Marginalised poor women find a BRAC operates an exclusive strategy the tools necessary for her to come up sustainable source of income as JITA to tackle the situation of ultra-poverty in with independent solutions to problems. sales ladies and can better fight child- Bangladesh. This programme targets malnutrition in their families. Specially Targeted Ultra-Poor (STUP) Farida was able to set aside some money as savings, and she utilised Households buying the JITA products households who need complete tailor- made supports and services to make those savings and her existing assets benefit as they gain access to nutrition to engage in multiple transactions and and hygiene products. any positive change in their livelihoods. The objective of this programme is to build on her assets. BRAC’s health care Poor rural women, JITA Aparajita, sell assist the ultra-poor population to: services and the funds mobilised by the vegetable seeds and hygiene product GDBC helped Farida’s husband recover such as hand-soaps to 3,000 primary- Move beyond the ultra-poverty level. from his liver infection and he was able school going children as well to their to get a job pulling a hired cart. Farida Access mainstream development families and parents through the also earned an income from sewing programmes. School Gardening and Health-hygiene kathas (traditional woven blankets). She programme. One of the beneficiaries is Farida. went on to sell some of her chickens and cow to buy a cart for her husband One of these JITA Women (called Farida grew up in the Pachnol village in to pull. She also used those funds to Aparajitas) is Ashura Begum who works at Jalalabad, Satkhira. She married and take 10 katha of land (a local unit of the Shyamnagar Hub of JITA Bangladesh. had two children. When her husband measurement, one katha is the equivalent fell ill, she did odd jobs but struggled to of 66.9 square meters) on mortgage. Ashura is 30 years old with two school- make ends meet. At this point she was going children. She got married at the selected to participate in the Specially age of 15. When her electrician husband Targeted Ultra-Poor (STUP) programme. became physically disabled as the result She was given four days of intensive of an accident at work, she struggled to enterprise development training on support her family and provide medical cow and poultry rearing as an income- care for her husband. Despite working as generating activity. This equipped her with a domestic and selling biscuits and nuts a basic knowledge of enterprise. It was in the village, her income was insufficient followed by hands-on training, including and her children’s education and life skills training conducted via weekly health suffered. She learned about JITA home visits. This training gave her more Bangladesh from the JITA territory officer © BRAC detailed knowledge of her assets, how and decided to work as an Aparajita, an Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 25 Currently, Farida has two cows, three 2.The satellite clinics at the field level goats, 17 ducks and hens, 10 katha of are staffed by paramedics that 6 Communities land on a mortgage and a cart. All of this visit remote locations on a weekly Case Study 1: Households now provides a regular and stable source basis. They are assisted by the (Mondelez International Foundation, of income for her household. The GDBC FCMs to provide general treatment, Helen Keller International) is continuing to provide assistance as behavioural change communication well as ensure that her two girls attend and referrals for serious cases. Food Security & Income Generation school regularly. According to Farida, her circumstances have not just changed Identified cases are referred to the base Jarna lives in a small home in Kaligonj, economically, but socially as well. She hospital in Satkhira. Specialised care Bangladesh with her husband, her says with pride: “People in our community is offered and field staff are provided parents-in-law, and her two-year-old give me more importance now. Nowadays the opportunity to work alongside, daughter. Her husband’s income as a I’m actually asked to attend weddings and be trained by foreign doctors. local rickshaw-van puller, approximately instead of just going there to work for BDT 150 (~US$1.90) a day, supports Reshma Sultna is a Friendship Community them; people even expect me to bring a their entire family. Through a Mondelez Medic (FCM) in an Upazila of the Satkhira gift! People also value my opinions more, International Foundation-sponsored District. In late 2011, she visited Khadiza and they even come to me for advice.” Homestead Food Production programme Khatun (22), a wife of a farmer in the within Project Laser Beam, Jarna Farida now has food security, a diversified district who was pregnant, at her home. attends educational sessions to learn income source and owns assets. Her She suggested to Khadiza that she go to about ways she can provide the best children are attending school and she the Friendship satellite clinic in the area for nutrition for her family and contribute has received social acceptance from ante natal care (ANC) as the Government fresh produce from her garden. her community. She has also finished Community clinic was some distance her last round of confidence-building away. At the clinic, a paramedic gave her Jarna is enthusiastic about the training, and will be enrolled into a a thorough check-up and provided her programme’s prospects for her and her village organisation so that she can with iron, folic acid and calcium tablets. family. Health worker Rina Howlader be part of a mainstream development Reshma also suggested that Khadiza helps Jarna to access the knowledge programme for the community. attend Uthan Boithak, a courtyard meeting and support she needs. As an Extension held regularly by Friendship. Here Khadiza Worker she provides ongoing training learnt about vaccinations, the value of around various topics, including hygiene, nutritious food and supplements, breast nutrition, gardening, poultry rearing and Pregnant Women 5 feeding, danger signs for pregnant marketing, providing group sessions and Case Study: Three-tier health women and the importance of safe meeting with individuals in their homes. care model in the most remote delivery of the child at a facility site. areas (Unilever, Friendship) Says one beneficiary: “The individual Khadiza arranged for a trained midwife counselling helps us most to scale up Health and Hygiene to assist with the birth as she lived more the practices in our home. Sometimes than 20km away from the nearest hospital. there can be gaps [in understanding], Unilever has a long history of working with She gave birth to a healthy child. Reshma but once the Extension Worker comes Friendship to provide basic healthcare to visited Khadiza again to check on her to my home for individual counselling, people with limited access. Friendship is a post natal care (PNC). On these visits she I am able to understand the message national NGO based in Bangladesh since also checked the child’s weight, mental better and ask my questions. I am very 1998. The Friendship Health Programme development and vaccination status. proud to show my garden, and feel the has a holistic approach to health service, Extension Worker is part of my family.” providing primary and secondary health Says Khadiza: “This was my first child care through its base hospitals as well and I was not sure what to do. Reshma Across the 4,800 households where servicing the community via trained has helped me to learn important Project Laser Beam is implemented community members and weekly satellite information about pregnancy and birth. in Bangladesh, Extension Workers clinics. The Friendship health programme This service in our homes is very welcome provide hundreds of hours of individual consists of three tiers of service delivery, as visiting the Upazila Health Complex attention and instruction each month. ensuring maximum coverage. is burdensome. Reshma has helped This personalised care is ensuring ensure we have a healthy child.” that the messages of proper nutrition 1.The Friendship Community Medics stick, and that each woman has (FCM) are female community members, the tools and support to make sure introduced with the purpose of her family has lasting health. creating a self-sustaining, primary health service provision mechanism to address maternal and child health, nutrition and family planning issues.
© Friendship
© Helen Keller International
26 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions Case Study 2: Providing access to In 2014, it is expected over 100,000 clean drinking water & sanitation beneficiaries will be consuming fortified (Unilever & WaterAid) rice. The project’s goal is to mainstream fortified rice into the Government’s Water & Sanitation major social safety net programmes by making fortified rice the default option Kanika Rani Mandal is 30 years old for the procurement of rice for the safety and lives in the Vurulia village of Vurulia net programmes in Bangladesh. In Union in Shyamnagar Upazila with her addition, the programme will cover 25,000 husband and two children. Kanika has WaterAid/Katja Freiwald schoolchildren who receive cooked school little education and little knowledge of meals and 225,000 people enrolled in hygiene or disease. She is a housewife the Enhancing Resilience to Natural and her husband is a small businessman. Disasters and the Effects of Climate The majority of the money the family has Case Study 3: Rice Fortification Change programme, implemented jointly is spent on health-related issues, making by the Government and WFP. WFP will poverty a constant feature of their life. (DSM, WFP, BRAC, Government of Bangladesh) also work with garment factory owners to Shyamnagar is one of the most climate- encourage them to provide fortified rice vulnerable coastal areas of Bangladesh. Food & Micronutrients to their employees, most of whom are It lacks basic services and child women, and aims to facilitate access to White rice is a good source of energy, malnutrition is acute. In 2011, Project fortified rice among the general public. but has a low nutrition value as most Laser Beam began funding this region, nutrients are lost when the brans and In the long term, market demand for investing in an integrated initiative of germs are removed. In close collaboration fortified rice will be strengthened and nutrition, health care, livelihood and with Swiss technology company B hler, local capacity will be built to manufacture WASH (Water Supply, Sanitation and DSM Nutritional Products developed a fortified rice kernels and blend them Hygiene Promotion) to improve the scalable technology to fortify rice. DSM with locally grown rice. Fortified rice is lives of vulnerable communities. was able to develop a fortified kernel expected to be commercially available WaterAid’s local partner, Shushilan that looks exactly like a non-fortified rice in Bangladesh at the end of 2014. started working in Vurulia in 2011 on kernel to produce rice enriched with the project funded by Unilever and essential vitamins and minerals: NutriRice. supported by WaterAid. They formed The fortified kernels are blended with Mother’s Groups in every ward (district) non-fortified rice in a ratio between 0.5 of their project area. Kanika became a and 2 percent (typically 1 percent). Rice member of such a group and started fortification adds value to the daily intake learning about climate change, safe water, of key nutrients and as such directly sanitation, hygiene practice, nutrition, contributes to tackling global malnutrition. healthy living and the need for continued WFP, DSM and the Government of education. These sessions helped her Bangladesh initially conducted a pilot understand how she could protect her on the acceptability and operational family better and she helped make WFP/Kauser Haider feasibility of fortified rice in the rice-based other women aware of these issues. government social safety nets and in She planted a garden beside her house to the WFP School Feeding Programme provide more nutritious food for her family with positive outcomes: the fortified members. As a result of all her positive rice, so called Pushti Chal, was well activities, a local NGO named SMKK accepted and often preferred by the has now appointed Kanika as a Field beneficiaries (June – September 2013). Facilitator, and she works to teach the For the trial, fortified rice was distributed women of her village about nutritious food, to approximately 12,000 households health, hygienic practice and education. under the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) programme in partnership with the She can now send her two children Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to school regularly, and also make (MoWCA). The Research and Evaluation a contribution to the expenditure of Division of BRAC collected the data on her family along with her husband. the feasibility and acceptability study of fortified rice among the reached Says Kanika: “I am a great example beneficiaries and performed the analysis. of how awareness and education can change a woman’s life and also that of her family.” Other women in Vurulia village applaud Kanika’s success and are now following in her path - they consider her success their success.
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 27 Indonesia A holistic approach Project Laser Beam targeted the East Prevention of wasting during the lean Case Study 1: Local Food-Based Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia season is critical to avoid the vicious cycle School Meal programme (LFBSM) because it scores lowest in Indonesia of reduced nutrient intake and infection on the Human Development Index, that can ultimately lead to stunting. The Local Food-Based School Meal has the highest stunting prevalence in Programme (LFBSM) provides hot the country (58 percent), and a high Project Laser Beam efforts in Indonesia nutritious meals fortified with vitamins wasting prevalence (13 percent).28 Two included various interventions addressing and micronutrients to local schools three districts in East Nusa Tenggara were both direct and underlying causes of days a week using locally available targeted – Kupang and South Central undernutrition throughout the life cycle commodities (maize and mung beans). Timor. The South Central Timor district of a child. Key target groups included The programme is accompanied by ranks as most food-insecure in the children from six to 23 months in age, comprehensive behaviour change province due to an increasingly hard to pregnant and lactating women (as communications on home fortification predict lean season, which intensifies described in Case Study 2), as well with micronutrient powders, health and the likelihood that the youngest children as school aged children and rural hygiene, and good nutrition practices. will fall into acute malnutrition. communities (e.g. local farmer groups, caregivers, community leaders, etc.).
Ministry of Education of Indonesia PMT - AS 2,500 rupiah per child per day Local Food Based Recipes
Micronutrient Powders (MNP) Local Food Supply
School Health, Hygiene and Community Nutrition Training Participation
School Garden
Deworming
LFBSM Schools as Entry Point for integrated package of interventions to improve nutrition and food security
Figure 9: Local food-based school meal programme (LFBSM)
28 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions This programme is a good example of how Unilever funds the provision of the number of West Timor schools are a holistic approach addresses the direct local food-based fortified school meals enrolled in Indonesia’s national School and underlying causes of child under- and has developed a full behavioural Canteen Programme (PMT-AS), which nutrition and how the different Project change package to improve good provides elementary schools with a small Laser Beam partners collaborated to nutritional practices. It also rolls out budget to purchase local snacks for implement the school meal programme. hand-washing campaigns to the schools. students. With the limited reach of this programme, it is hard for children in the In this set-up, multiple partners (global Mondelez International Foundation schools not covered by the PMT-AS to and local) work together with schools funds the Homestead Food Production concentrate on their studies when they and local communities and governments (HFP) model, encouraging families to are distracted by empty stomachs. across the Project Laser Beam grow micronutrient-rich crops, raise programmatic pillars. Their goal is to poultry and implement aquaculture. Fortunately for Margaritha, her school is improve the nutrient intake, nutritional part of WFP’s “Local Food Based School status and health of school children, Helen Keller International- Meal” programme. A typical meal consists and to contribute to breaking the Indonesia (HKI) rolls-out the HFP of a warm, nutritious porridge made from intergenerational cycle of undernutrition. model implemented by the Rapid local ingredients, such as maize, bananas, At the same time, the involvement of Action on Nutrition and Agriculture mung beans and fresh coconut. Eating local communities provides additional Initiative (RANTAI) programme. a healthy meal in the morning enables opportunities for income generation Margaritha to concentrate throughout Indofood (PT Indofood Sukses Makmur and behaviour change communication the school day and fuels her creativity. Tbk), a publically listed Indonesian activities. As part of a multi-stakeholder “Margaritha gets really excited to go to food solutions company, provides and multi-sector approach: school on the days the warm porridge is reformulated complementary food to served” says her mother. “As a teacher vulnerable children in rural areas of East Government of Indonesia (GoI) I see the difference; students are more Nusa Tenggara. Indofood also works takes the lead on this intervention. The active in class with full tummies”. WFP’s with DSM to package micronutrient local food-based school meals are nutritious recipe is a health booster in powders for school children. part of the government’s efforts to areas where food is scarce and diets revitalise the national school feeding GAIN coordinates overall Project are poor, and it encourages parents programme, an important social safety Laser Beam performance monitoring. to send their children to school. Most net programme. The Government of GAIN has developed a monitoring families in West Timor can afford to eat Indonesia has been involved in LFBSM and evaluation framework and only maize and a few vegetables every at national, provincial, district and supports twice-yearly reporting and day. Margaritha’s family eats meat only local level, monitoring implementation, analysis of all partners’ results. twice a month, on special occasions. providing ingredients for school meals, and providing technical support. Similar examples are also being When Margaritha comes back from school, implemented in Bangladesh where the she helps her mother clean the house Communities play a key role in the Project Laser Beam multi-stakeholder and does her homework sitting on the programme. Parents contribute time to and multi-sector approach is key to floor; then she works on creative projects cook the meals at schools and provide wider market-based solutions on with her sister, Angel. Margaritha’s father additional locally grown ingredients, and child nutrition (e.g., rice fortification, is a carpenter, and she has inherited the local farmer association receives complementary food supplement, etc. his creativity. She and her sister recycle WFP support to meet the quality and old carton boxes and papers to make quantity requirements of the programme. Beneficiary Story- Margaritha photo frames and other decorations for the house. Margaritha is a bright, self- WFP supports the authorities “My dream is to become a teacher, confident and creative child. WFP is in coordinating the overall like my mummy”. helping ensure that hunger will not hold implementation of the LFBSM her back from accomplishing her dreams. programme, playing a bridging role Six-year-old Margaritha is a first grade between policy and practice, and student at an elementary school in between the diverse stakeholders; West Timor, Eastern Indonesia. When monitoring the programme; and she grows up, she wants to become a procuring and distributing the main kindergarten teacher, like her mother. commodities to the schools. Margaritha lives in the village of DSM provides micronutrient Fatukanutu, in a district where only 8.5% powders (MNPs) which are added of children graduate from high school. to school meals to optimise nutrient Most children who, like Margaritha, live content and reduce micronutrient in remote areas will never have the deficiencies. DSM also supports opportunity to go to university. The advocacy, capacity building and lucky few who have the chance to even WFP/Aline d’Ormesson behavioural change communication go to primary school face the reality of on MNP, health and nutrition. hunger on a daily basis; only a limited
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 29 Case Study 2: Maternal and Child The third strategy has been to develop Capacity strengthening of local health Nutrition (MCN) in Indonesia evidence through programme experience staff at primary health care level in East Nusa Tenggara and use it for policy (puskesmas) and for posyandu on The WFP Maternal and Child Nutrition advocacy and dialogue at the national growth monitoring and counseling for (MCN) programme focuses on the South level on food and nutrition security. infant and young child feeding (IYCF). Central Timor district in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, a highly vulnerable Coordination with other UN agencies Implementation of nutrition-sensitive area of the country, both in terms of on nutrition has also been strengthened interventions aimed at improving food security and undernutrition. to provide support to the government consumption of micronutrient-rich and other stakeholders in this area. food at the household level (through In close partnership with the Government home gardens and food for assets of Indonesia and other key stakeholders, MCN programme components in schemes). Evidence creation including the private sector, WFP has South Central Timor include: related to the effectiveness and developed intervention models and cost-effectiveness of this model. analytical tools aimed at strengthening The reformulation and provision evidence on the importance of of locally produced fortified In 2013, WFP reached 10,000 children increasing access to adequate complementary food for children aged six to 23 months, and 5,000 nutrients for the most vulnerable, in six to 24 months for prevention of pregnant and lactating women in particular during the first 1,000 days stunting. The fortified blended food was 340 community health posts in of life (from pregnancy to two years). produced by local company Indofood. 14 sub-districts of South Central Timor.
One strategy has been to raise awareness Development and provision of a medium on the importance of economic access dose LNS named Kaziduta. LNS are as a barrier to meeting household ready-to-use foods which provide a nutrient requirements in different areas range of vitamins and minerals, as of Indonesia through the Cost of Diet well as energy, protein, and essential study. This study supports advocacy fatty acids (EFA) for prevention of for appropriately targeted public wasting during the lean season. This social safety net or market based LNS was developed locally with private strategies to fill the nutrient gap. sector company Garuda Food.
Another key strategy has been to improve Provision of high energy biscuits for the nutrient content of existing specialized pregnant and lactating women. complementary foods for children six to Behaviour change communication 24 months, and to develop new products on nutrition, health and hygiene to such as Lipid-based Nutrient Supplement improve practices at the household (LNS) in collaboration with the private and community levels. Entry points for sector, so increasing accessibility of these the dissemination of key messages are products for vulnerable communities. WFP/Peter Wall multiple, including community health community leaders and primary schools.
Figure 10: Examples of behaviour change communication on nutrition and health and hygiene aims to improve practices at the household and community level.
30 | Project Laser Beam Final Conclusions References
1 Hoddinott J, Alderman H, Behrman 11 SUN is a Movement founded on the 22 Curtis, V. & Cairncross, S. (2003). JR, et al. The economic rationale principle that all people have a right Effect of washing hands with soap for investing in stunting reduction. to food and good nutrition. It unites on diarrhoea risk in the community: Maternal and Child Nutrition people—from governments, civil a systematic review. The Lancet 2013;9 (Suppl.2):69–82. society, the United Nations, donors, Infectious Diseases. 3(5), 275-281. businesses and researchers—in a 2 This figure includes the reach of GAIN’s collective effort to improve nutrition 23 Homestead food production model national programme to fortify vegetable http://scalingupnutrition.org/ contributes to improved household oil with vitamin A, which has been food security, nutrition and female estimated based on the size of the 12 An introduction to the Scaling empowerment – Experience from population in the East Nusa Tenggara Up Nutrition Movement, SUN scaling-up programs in Asia province (the targeted geography for Movement, February 2014 (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal Project Laser Beam in Indonesia). and Philippines), Helen Keller 13 Catalysing Transformational Partnerships International, Nutrition Bulletin, 3 Maternal and child undernutrition and between the United Nations and Vol. 8 Issue 1, March 2010 overweight in low-income and middle- Business, published by the UN Global income countries, Robert E Black, Cesar Compact Office, September 2011 24 Homestead food production model G Victora, Susan P Walker, Zulfiqar A contributes to improved household Bhutta, Parul Christian, Mercedes de 14 WHO Fact Sheet on Children: food security, nutrition and female Onis, et al, The Lancet, 3 August 2013 Reducing mortality, September 2013 empowerment – Experience from (Volume 382 Issue 9890 Pages 427-451) scaling-up programs in Asia 15 Unleashing the power of business: A (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal 4 practical Roadmap to systematically UNICEF, WHO, World Bank. Levels and Philippines), Helen Keller engage business as a partner in and trends in child malnutrition. International, Nutrition Bulletin, development, The Partnering Initiative, Joint child malnutrition estimates. Vol. 8 Issue 1, March 2010 New York, NY: United Nations 2014 http://www.bpdroadmap. International Children’s Fund; org/action-examples-2/ 25 Aparajita means woman who Geneva: World Health Organisation; never accept defeat. 16 Adapted from the WFP Washington, DC: World Bank, 2012. Bangladesh Lifecycle Nutrition 26 www.jitabangladesh.com/ 5 The Lancet, “Maternal and Approach (2012-2016) Child Undernutrition,” Special 27 The Importance of Women’s Status 17 WFP Bangladesh Nutrition Strategy Series, January, 2008. for Child Nutrition in Developing 2012-2016, Juliana Muiruri, Philip Countries, Smith , Research Report 6 Repositioning Nutrition as Central to Hulcome, Britta Schumacher, Monira 131 International Food Policy Development, World Bank, 2006 Parveen, Farzana Bilkes, and Syeda Research Institute, Lisa C. Smith , Sajia Mehjabeen, March 2012 Usha Ramakrishnan , Aida Ndiaye , 7 Child Growth = Sustainable Economic Lawrence Haddad , Reynaldo Martorell 18 International Code on Marketing Growth: Why we should invest in , Frances Stewart U. K, 2003 nutrition, Haddad, L., May 2013 of Breastmilk Substitutes, World Health Organisation, Geneva 1981 28 Riskesdas report, 2010, Ministry 8 This figure includes the reach of GAIN’s of Health, Indonesia national programme to fortify vegetable 19 In Bangladesh, prevalence of stunting oil with vitamin A, which has been among children under five years estimated based on the size of the of age is 41% and prevalence of population in the East Nusa Tenggara wasting among children under five province (the targeted geography for years of age is 15.6% (Bangladesh Project Laser Beam in Indonesia). Demographic and Health Survey 2011). In Indonesia, prevalence of stunting 9 REACH was established in 2008 by among children under five years of the Food and Agricultural Organisation age is 36% and prevalence of wasting (FAO), the United Nations Children’s among children under five years of Fund (UNICEF), the World Food age is 13% (UNICEF, SOCW 2013) Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to assist 20 World Food Programme: Two minutes governments of countries with a to learn about school meals, July 2014 high burden of child and maternal 21 Pneumonia and Diarrhoea: Tackling undernutrition to accelerate the scale- the Deadliest Diseases for the up of food and nutrition actions. World’s Poorest Children. Rep. http://www.reachpartnership.org/ New York: UNICEF, 2012. 10 http://www.reachpartnership. org/about-reach
Lessons from a five-year, global public-private partnership addressing child undernutrition | 31 Contacts
Unilever Katja Freiwald, Director Global Partnerships [email protected]
UN World Food Programme Sandra Westlake, Head of Partnerships, Private Sector Partnerships Division [email protected]
DSM Fokko Wientjes, Vice-President Sustainability [email protected]
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Nicki Lyons, Director of Communications, Policy and Advocacy [email protected]
Mondelez International Nicole Robinson, Senior Director Corporate Community Involvement [email protected]
Accenture Dianne Gayatri Rajaratnam, Senior Manager, Accenture Development Partnerships [email protected]
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