As a Nicaraguan, I grew up in a multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual country with a large Indigenous population. English and French were the mandatory languages in public and private schools during my school years. Sadly, we were never taught our Indigenous languages, not even simple phrases like “good morning” or “thank you.”

Linguistic discrimination is still prevalent in classrooms across Central America. Our native languages are disappearing, causing us to lose an integral part of our national heritage. Every 14 days, one of the 7,000 known languages spoken worldwide dies. By the end of this century, half of these languages will disappear.

Language bias also has negative impacts on children’s development. Numerous studies indicate that students not educated in their native languages tend to have lower learning outcomes than those who receive instruction in their mother tongues. Conversely, using a well-mastered language significantly enhances learning, particularly reading comprehension. Bilingual education also helps preserve cultural heritage and creates a bridge between the ancestral wisdom of Indigenous peoples and the global community of the 21st century, opening the doors to future opportunities within the Indigenous communities and beyond. Additionally, it contributes to community engagement in children’s education.

Global Communities has been implementing the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition programs across Central America and Africa for over 20 years. Our programs, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, provide daily nutritious meals to school-age children and take a multidisciplinary approach to improve students’ nutritional and learning outcomes. Where feasible, they integrate bilingual education to ensure that children learn to read and write effectively.

In Guatemala, for example, where 25 Indigenous languages are spoken, our UNIDOS (“United” in Spanish) project has been a beacon of hope since 2021. Implemented across 450 preschools and primary schools in the departments of Huehuetenango and Quiche, UNIDOS supports students with daily meals, school supplies and educational materials available in local languages. In addition, the program works tirelessly to strengthen teachers’ bilingual skills and provide children with literacy skills in Spanish, Mam, Q’anjob’al, Ixil and K’iche’.

In February 2024, UNIDOS conducted a study on students’ bilingual language skills. Overall, 80% of students reported using primarily the local Mayan language in their family interactions. The study also found that the use of both Spanish and Mayan languages in the classroom was positive for the achievement of biliteracy.

UNIDOS is deeply committed to enhancing the teaching of foundational literacy skills, starting with the mother tongue and then transferring these skills to Spanish. It is crucial to support teachers in using both languages in their classrooms and improves parents’ involvement in their children’s learning. Additionally, the project implements social communication activities to inform parents and communities about the benefits of bilingual education. 

On the last note, yes, I have learned the essential words in Miskito and Mayagna – two of my Indigenous languages – and promoted the learning of others to fulfill my personal and professional commitments.

The post Promoting Bilingual Education in Multicultural Societies to Enhance Student Literacy appeared first on Global Communities.

Last month, Global Communities participated in the 2024 International Food Aid Showcase at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The showcase brought together diverse stakeholders representing all segments of the U.S. food assistance value chain—from farmers to implementing partners and government agencies. At the beginning of the event, the speakers emphasized the role of U.S. producers and suppliers who deliver essential food commodities to populations facing hunger and food insecurity around the world: from beans and lentils to rice and canned fish. The panelists also spoke about the challenges of global food aid, including rising costs, time and waste, rigid cargo regulations and low waters in key ports. One speaker emphasized the vital role of women in the global quest for agricultural sustainability and food security. She noted that the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. This worldwide observance will not only honor women’s immense contributions to the agricultural sector, but also catalyze action to address unique barriers women farmers face.

Global Communities hosted an exhibit at the showcase, in celebration of more than 20 years of partnership with USDA. Since 2002, Global Communities has implemented 18 USDA-funded McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) programs and three Local and Regional Procurement (LRP) projects spanning five countries. We are now serving more than one million children with daily nutritious meals in over 3,800 schools across the world.

Our integrated school feeding approach is multidisciplinary, extending far beyond imported food aid. We promote literacy and early child development; invest in climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive agriculture; improve school infrastructure; and strengthen the capacity of local communities to gradually transition to locally owned school meal programs. Children’s health and well-being are always our top priority. In addition to improving children’s nutrition, our programs increase primary school attendance rates and improve students’ learning outcomes. Currently, Global Communities implements integrated school meals programs in Central America, Madagascar and Tanzania.

After the event, I asked my Global Communities’ colleagues who work on McGovern-Dole programs for their reflections. The following colleagues participated in the exchange: Leonel Arguello, Director of Integrated School Feeding; Chloe Pan, Associate Technical Advisor for Food Security and Gender; Christina Villarreal, Program Manager for the Americas; Colby Berry, Senior Program Officer for Africa; Daniela Lopez Echeverri, Program Officer for the Americas; and Hersona Abraham, Program Associate for Africa. The conversation was edited for length and clarity.

Paula: Thank you for representing Global Communities at the International Food Aid Showcase. What was the highlight of the event for you and how did it connect with the work you do?

Leonel: At Global Communities, we carry out comprehensive and integrated school meals programs at the grassroots levels. We collaborate very closely with USDA and local partners, and we learn from each other’s expertise. However, we have limited opportunities to engage with U.S. food producers or companies responsible for logistics of food distribution. I had the opportunity to engage with these diverse stakeholders, which is crucial for understanding the complexity of international food assistance. I also had a pleasure of meeting with USDA staff members and discussing how the McGovern-Dole Program has become more holistic and robust over the past 20 years. I am glad that school feeding continues to be a priority for the U.S. government, and I have a lot of appreciation for USDA’s highly committed staff who support the program. While there are still gaps and challenges, we are headed in the right direction.

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Hersona: Indeed, as implementers we often do not hear about the logistics of importing food commodities from the U.S. Hearing from these diverse stakeholders provided a nuanced understanding of this process. I found the discussion about canned commodities as alternatives to conventional staples like rice particularly intriguing. Overall, the speakers and exhibitors offered valuable and enlightening perspectives.

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Chloe: Several attendees I spoke with were not familiar with the holistic nature of school meals programs, and it was great to hear their positive reactions to our integrated and inclusive approach. I also appreciated the announcement of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

A few years ago, Global Communities made an important decision to conduct gender and inclusion analyses at the start of each of our McGovern-Dole program to ensure that we were, at a minimum, taking gender-responsive and inclusive approaches to our activities. Mothers are actively participating in parent-teacher associations, volunteering as cooks in school kitchens, working in school gardens, and participating in savings groups supported by our programs. Yet they are still expected to manage household responsibilities and engage in income-generating activities. Recognizing these pressures, our recent projects have included activities that engage men, promote positive masculinities and involve couples in dialogues around gender equality, division of household responsibilities, joint decision-making, and involvement in children’s health and education. It has been very inspiring to see both mothers and fathers actively participating in our school feeding programs, challenging harmful gender norms, and modeling a bright future for their children.

Paula: Great observations! On your last point, Chloe, it is important to add that Global Communities’ Strategic Vision prioritizes gender integration across all programs. It also includes a commitment to develop and test an innovative approach to addressing the intersection of gender, food security and climate change. I know that investing in women farmers will be a crucial component of this approach. What are the promising trends and challenges in the food aid sector? What worries you and what sparks your hope?

Leonel: Delivering international food assistance is very complex. Many expected and unexpected challenges can arise in procuring, transporting and delivering food commodities to our communities. What sets our programs apart is a focus on sustainability. We work very closely with governments, local producers and community leaders to incorporate locally grown foods, diversify children’s diets and ultimately transition communities to locally owned school meal programs. High community participation, including from teachers and parents, always sparks my hope. In fact, the involvement of mothers – and increasingly fathers – is key to the success of our programs. As the world is changing fast, school feeding programs need to be flexible and adaptable to new circumstances. Global Communities is prepared to take on this challenge.

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Colby: One of the biggest challenges is importing USDA-donated food commodities to the countries where our programs operate. Based on our experience in Tanzania, for example, it is harder and harder to get the food delivered from the regulatory standpoint. In addition, there are many stigmas and misconceptions toward these commodities among community members we serve. It is always very important to clearly communicate to our communities that the food complies with international and local standards. It is also crucial to obtain the respective government’s sign off on the quality and fortification of the food.

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Chloe: I completely agree with Colby. Each country has different standards and priorities, and we work very closely with different ministries to ensure compliance. Thankfully, over the years, Global Communities has built strong relationships with governments and local stakeholders, so that we can navigate these challenges together and focus on delivering high quality food to the communities that need it the most.

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Christina: Yes, international food assistance can be quite political in the countries where we operate. In Guatemala, we have been implementing McGovern-Dole programs for over 12 years. A timespan this long naturally includes elections and changes in administrations. This requires a continuous effort to create and strengthen relationships at all levels of the government to implement the overall mission of USDA’s McGovern-Dole programs: food for education and child nutrition. Collaboration with the respective governments is vital to the success of school feeding programs. So is active participation of educational institutions, including school administrators and teachers. Cultivating strong partnerships with local stakeholders contributes to the sustainability and longevity of school meal interventions after we have exited a community. On the flip side, we may face delays if the community buy-in and support are not obtained early on.

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Daniela: I second what Christina has said. Collaborating with local partners for sustainable progress is essential. While importing food aid helps address the immediate needs of populations experiencing hunger, the involvement of local governments, farmers, schools and community leaders is important to achieving food security in the long run.

Paula: What can Global Communities – and our sector as a whole – do better to serve populations around the world who face hunger and food insecurity? 

Daniela: We need to get better at ensuring that our programs are truly inclusive and tailored to the needs of each community. For example, the materials we use to promote better health behaviors should be always translated to local languages. We also must do everything in our power to serve the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations.    

Leonel: We also need to keep educating policy- and decision-makers, including the U.S. Congress, about the importance of holistic approaches to food aid. Strengthening the resilience of local food systems is absolutely critical to creating a world free of hunger. We also need to keep advocating for more long-term funding to achieve these goals.  

Paula: Thank you for your thoughts and perspectives!

To learn more, please read our recent blog, School Feeding Interventions as a Tool for Addressing Child Malnutrition: Experiences from Tanzania, Guatemala and Madagascar.  

The post Igniting Children’s Potential, One Bite at a Time: Reflections from the International Food Aid Showcase appeared first on Global Communities.

Malnutrition remains a pressing global issue, affecting millions of children and impeding their growth, development and well-being. It manifests in various forms, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity. Each form has severe consequences for children. In 2022, the World Health Organization estimated that globally, 149 million children under five were stunted (too short for their age), 45 million were wasted (underweight for their height), and 37 million were overweight or living with obesity. Undernutrition contributes to nearly half of the deaths in children under five, predominantly affecting low- and middle-income countries.

School feeding programs can be an effective strategy to address these challenges. They reduce hunger, expand children’s access to nutritious foods and improve dietary diversity. They also promote optimal health, hygiene and nutrition behaviors among schoolchildren, their parents and teachers. In addition, school feeding creates a ripple effect, mobilizing communities to support children’s development and benefiting their educational outcomes. School feeding contributes to improved school attendance and retention, and serves as a catalyst for increased attentiveness.

On this World Nutrition Day, we share our approach to school feeding interventions in the fight against malnutrition among children and adolescents.

Our Integrated School feeding approach

Global Communities began implementing school feeding programs in 2002 with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). As a trusted USDA partner for over two decades, we have carried out 16 McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) and three Local and Regional Procurement (LPR) projects in Bolivia, Central America, Madagascar and Tanzania.

USDA’s McGovern-Dole Program improves education, child development and food security in low-income countries around the world. The program donates U.S. agricultural commodities and supports maternal and child nutrition projects through financial and technical assistance.

Global Communities’ McGovern-Dole and LRP programs champion an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to school feeding, which extends far beyond international food assistance.

While ensuring that students have access to daily nutritious school meals remains our top priority, we work to improve school infrastructure and curriculums, encourage healthy behaviors, promote climate-resilient agricultural practices, and invest in early child development interventions.

In addition, we mobilize local communities to gradually transition to locally owned school meal programs and reduce reliance on USDA-donated food commodities. For example, we support school gardens, which get fresh produce straight into classrooms and help children develop healthier eating habits. We also link schools with local farmers to incorporate locally grown foods to school meals. We involve parents, teachers and community members in our efforts, too, and we work with governments to develop policies that support school feeding. This promotes sustainability and lasting impact of our programs. Our support for smallholder farmers also boosts local economies.

Global Communities’ approach is comprehensive, student- and community-focused, gender-responsive and adaptable to the unique needs of each country, school and community.

How School Feeding Interventions Improve Child Nutrition and Development

Global Communities’ school feeding programs ensure that children eat at least one nutritious meal each day. These meals are often fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, addressing both macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies. By doing so, they help combat stunting, wasting and other forms of undernutrition.

Global Communities’ school feeding programs offer daily nutritious school meals to more than one million students in over 3,800 schools in sub-Saharan Africa and Central America.

Proper nutrition is crucial for brain development and physical growth. Well-nourished children are more likely to have better cognitive abilities, higher concentration levels and improved academic performance.

In addition, our programs encourage school attendance. For many families, the assurance that their child will be fed at school provides a strong incentive to prioritize education over other responsibilities.

Highlights from Our School Feeding Programs

Global Communities is implementing Mianatra (“learn” in Malagasy) – USDA’s first McGovern-Dole school feeding program in Madagascar. To supplement rice and beans served in daily school meals, Mianatra has set up 154 school gardens. Over the last 6 months, students and their parents have harvested more than 3,700 pounds of fresh vegetables, including zucchini, spinach, onions, tomatoes and orange-flesh sweet potatoes.

The project also conducts cooking demonstrations for parents, exploring different recipes that incorporate local foods and include at least five products from the list of recommended food groups. These activities have created a fun and engaging environment for families to learn about different agricultural and cooking techniques, and to introduce new vegetables to household diets. Many parents have committed to replicate these new practices at home.

In Guatemala, Global Communities is implementing the Unidos project, building upon lessons learned from our previous programs, EDUCAMOS and MAS. These projects created 20 school meal menus and awareness raising tools to guide the preparation of nutritious meals in participating schools in the department of Huehuetenango.

Unidos leverages these successes and collaborates with the Guatemalan Ministry of Education to design new school meal menus in alignment with the national school feeding law.

Between October 2023 and March 2024, Unidos procured 27.57 metric tons of local foods, including fresh fruits, vegetables and eggs, which complemented USDA-donated commodities and enriched diets of more than 10,000 students from 78 schools.

Unidos also supports maternal, newborn and child health by delivering take-home rations to mothers of children under five and pregnant women in rural areas. In addition, the program provides counseling on complementary feeding, guidance on monitoring children’s development and nutrient supplementation.

We are also implementing a school feeding program in Tanzania. The Pamoja Tuwalishe (“Together, Let’s Feed Them” in Swahili) program aims to provide school meals for over 300,000 preschool and primary school students in 351 schools across nine districts of the Mara and Dodoma regions. Furthermore, the program supports the rollout of the National School Feeding Guidelines.

Commitment to Evidence and Learning

Global Communities approach to school feeding is multisectoral and embraces a culture of learning. For example, between 2018 and 2021 we partnered with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Purdue University, the Africa Academy for Public Health and the National Institute of Medical Research-Mwanza to implement a peer group-based behavior change intervention, Engaging Fathers for Effective Child Nutrition and Development in Tanzania (EFFECTS). EFFECTS was a 5-arm cluster randomized trial conducted in the Mara region. The results demonstrate that engaging couples (compared to mothers only) and bundling nutrition and parenting interventions have many benefits, including improved child and maternal dietary diversity.

“Our findings generate novel evidence that, with the right approach, materials, and ongoing support, community health workers can deliver gender-transformative bundled nutrition and parenting interventions to couples in low-resource community settings with potentially synergistic positive effects on household gender relations and maternal and child well-being.” – Lauren Galvin, Former Senior Advisor at Global Communities

School feeding is a powerful tool in combating malnutrition and supporting child development, offering immediate and long-term benefits for children and communities. As Global Communities marks this year’s World Nutrition Day, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting and expanding school feeding programs, nourishing children and building a world where no child goes to school hungry.

The post School Feeding Interventions as a Tool for Addressing Child Malnutrition: Experiences from Tanzania, Guatemala and Madagascar appeared first on Global Communities.

In 2012, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Governments of India and Ethiopia to convene the Child Survival Call to Action, which galvanized unprecedented commitments from governments and civil society around the world to end preventable maternal and child deaths. Three years later, UN Member States adopted the Agenda for Sustainable Development with ambitious targets to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030 and end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, also by 2030. Yet every two minutes a woman dies due to pregnancy or childbirth, and most of these deaths are entirely preventable.

New data released this February by several UN agencies shows significant progress in reducing maternal deaths between 2000 and 2015, but also reveals alarming setbacks for maternal health over recent years. According to the report, “The world must significantly accelerate progress to meet global targets for reducing maternal deaths, or else risk the lives of over 1 million more women by 2030.”

I recently chatted with Cara Endyke Doran, our Senior Director of Health, WASH and Nutrition, about these trends and about ways in which Global Communities is saving mothers’ and children’s lives.

This is the first conversation in our new series “Pass the Mic,” where staff from Global Communities share innovative ideas and in-depth insights on timely topics spanning the development, humanitarian and peace nexus. The interview was edited for length and clarity.

Paula: You recently traveled from Boston to Washington, D.C., to attend the global event Maternal and Child Survival: A Decade of Progress and Action for the Future, co-convened by USAID, UNICEF and the Governments of India, Senegal and the United Kingdom. A Hill Reception organized by the Global Health Council and co-sponsored by Global Communities followed. Why were these convenings important to you and what was your key takeaway?

Cara: These events were important because they provided an opportunity for global leaders, health experts, advocates and practitioners to come together to review progress made in maternal and child health since 2012 and to chart a course for future action. Despite significant improvements toward reducing maternal, newborn and child deaths since 2012, many populations around the globe do not have equitable access to high-quality care. Even when care is available and of quality, women and children still do not have access to and control over resources to attain a high standard of health and well-being. Furthermore, many health systems lack the ability to adapt to changing epidemiologic and demographic trends. During the event, USAID addressed these continued challenges and released a new strategic framework for preventing maternal and child deaths by 2030. The framework laid out a plan for improving maternal, newborn and child health outcomes through a renewed focus on coverage, quality and equity. 

Paula: While there were calls for a celebration, most experts acknowledged dramatic setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing conflicts and natural disasters. For example, Dr. Atul Gawande, Assistant Administrator at USAID, pointed out the first drop in life expectancy since World War II. What is needed to rebuild the momentum and get back on track for achieving related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030?        

Cara: Lessons from Ebola and other emergencies have taught us that women and children are often the first to suffer in a crisis. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women and children is no different. Widespread disruptions in health services have impacted women’s access to lifesaving maternal health services, such as treatment for postpartum hemorrhage, infection and high blood pressure. These disruptions have also impacted children. For example, we saw major backsliding in childhood immunizations, leaving millions of children at increased risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases. Children have also been at risk of malnutrition due to disrupted food systems and decreased access to essential nutrition services.

At Global Communities, we understand the critical need to advocate for and maintain essential services in an emergency to avoid preventable mortality as well as improve data access and quality to support timely decision-making. We aim to reinforce stronger, more resilient and adaptable health systems that put the needs of women, children and other vulnerable people at the center of programming. This includes holistic, locally led programs that support sustained political will, adequate investment and financing of health systems. We also believe in the power of equitable partnerships and multisectoral approaches to address health and well-being. Ensuring meaningful participation of women and overlooked groups in the design and implantation of programs is of key importance. So is accountability to the people we serve.  

Paula: The speakers consistently mentioned the need to invest in primary healthcare and integrated services for moms and babies. In fact, some talked about a radical reorientation of health systems towards primary health. What is your perspective on this issue? Is Global Communities well-positioned to support this effort? 

Cara: Global Communities advances opportunity, well-being and resilience among vulnerable groups and across all ages. We believe that maternal and child health services are most effective when they are integrated across the continuum of care for mothers, newborns and children. We work with local health structures to bundle services within existing platforms, especially primary healthcare, to improve access, address multiple health needs at once and increase cost-efficiency. Our approaches are locally driven and grounded in systems-thinking, gender equality, social inclusion, evidence and ingenuity.

With our community-driven systems approaches, we are optimally placed to strengthen primary healthcare systems to improve maternal and child health. By involving community members in the planning, implementation and evaluation of primary healthcare projects, we can ensure that the healthcare services are tailored to the specific needs of the community. By leveraging the local knowledge and tapping into the existing networks and resources within the community, we can increase the effectiveness and sustainability of primary healthcare projects. And by making an effort to understand local contexts and include community members in the decision-making process, we can build trust and relationships between healthcare providers and community members. Through our partnerships with communities, we can ensure that the delivery of high-quality healthcare services can continue even after external funding ends.

Paula: I very much appreciated the focus on equity during the event. Dr. Omar Abdi from UNICEF remarked that 10 years ago equity was an ‘innovation’ in the maternal and child health space, but now everyone is talking about it. The speakers emphasized the importance of using equity data to understand who is left behind and then ensuring that health interventions reach the poorest and most marginalized populations. Advancing equity is one of the cornerstones of Global Communities’ mission. What tools and approaches do we use to promote equitable and gender-responsive access to health services?  

Cara: Global Communities uses a multipronged approach to ensure equitable and gender-responsive programs. Where appropriate, we start our programs with gender analyses that examine how gender roles, norms and relations affect access to health services and health outcomes. These analyses help us identify barriers and opportunities for addressing gender disparities and improving women’s and children’s access to care. We also embed metrics to assess health equity in our data systems. This involves tracking health outcomes and health service utilization by gender and other social determinants of health to identify gaps and monitor progress toward health equity.

Paula: At the event USAID Administrator Samantha Power launched a new strategy, Preventing Child and Maternal Deaths: A Framework for Action in a Changing World. The strategy lays out an action plan to improve health outcomes for women and children by 2030. What is your vision for Global Communities’ maternal and child health programming in the next 5-10 years?

Cara: Over the next five years, I hope to strengthen and expand our ability to support primary health systems to be able to protect women, children and adolescents in a world affected by climate change. The goal is to ensure that people we serve have access to quality health services and can achieve the highest possible level of health and well-being. That children not only survive but thrive, and that we transform systems to meet their needs. And that health systems are well-managed with the ability to adapt and respond to changing needs of the community, including in times of crisis.

Paula: Climate change and its impact on maternal and child health were also mentioned by multiple speakers. Youare representing Global Communities as a co-chair of the USAID-funded Child Health Task Force, which is exploring this issue. Can you share a few thoughts on this subject?

Cara: Through the Child Health Task Force we are unpacking the effects that changing climate has on children and exploring system-level approaches that health systems can take to adapt to changing conditions. According to the Children’s Climate Risk Index, climate change is already significantly affecting children globally, with approximately 1 billion children at ‘extremely high risk’ of experiencing the negative impacts of climate change. While research and literature linking climate change and environmental degradation to ecological and social outcomes have been rapidly proliferating, there is a noticeable lack of data on the intersection of climate, environment and health. We seek to address this information gap through a webinar series “Adapting Health Systems to Protect Children from the Impact of Climate Change.” These events foster greater discussion on under-represented but important child health themes. Please join the series here. We also promote collaboration across sectors and organizations to advocate for greater global investment in adapting child health systems to become more resilient in the face of climate change going forward.

Paula: Global Communities has worked to save mothers’ and children’s lives and improve their health and well-being for six decades. What is, in your opinion, our greatest contribution or achievement thus far? What are you most proud of?

Cara: One of the hallmarks of Global Communities’ approach is training and mentoring community health workers (CHW) to deliver high-quality maternal and child health services. We work to ensure that these frontline health workers are motivated and equipped with knowledge and skills to employ global best practices, such as kangaroo mother care, community-based management of acute malnutrition and emergency obstetric and newborn care. It is very exciting and rewarding work. My colleagues and I recently published a paper in the Journal of Social Science and Medicine titled “Effects of Engaging Fathers and Bundling Nutrition and Parenting Interventions on Household Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Rural Tanzania.” EFFECTS was a cluster-randomized controlled trial co-designed and implemented by Global Communities. The study generated novel evidence that, with the right approach and resources, CHWs can deliver gender-transformative nutrition and parenting interventions to couples in low-resource community settings with potentially synergistic positive effects on household gender relations and maternal and child well-being.

Paula: Very exciting, congratulations! Empowering CHWs is so important. This was also a recurring theme of the events we talked about. One speaker, Millicent Miruka — a CHW Supervisor from Kenya — made an impassioned plea to recognize CHWs’ contributions, listen to their voices and ensure they are well-trained and supervised. I am also proud we are doing this work.

Thank you for your time! How can our readers reach you to learn more?

Cara: To learn more about Global Communities’ work in promoting maternal and child health please visit our website and read our most recent technical factsheet. If you have questions about our programs, please email us at [email protected]. You can also find me on LinkedIn.

Cara Endyke-Doran

Senior Director, Health, Nutrition & WASH

Cara Endyke-Doran, MPH, MSN, RN, is an advanced practice nurse with nearly 25 years of experience leading large international health programs focused on women’s, children’s, and adolescent’s health. Her technical areas of expertise include maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, gender, and HIV prevention, care, and treatment. She is a thought leader who sits on global task forces and advisory groups. Cara is an innovative and effective problem-solver who adapts and responds to evolving program needs. She has held long-term assignments in Mozambique, Zambia, and Nicaragua and provided technical support to programs in Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa. She has her master’s degrees in Public Health and Nursing from Johns Hopkins University. She speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

Global Communities is home to a diverse team of professionals with a broad range of expertise and perspectives that help us build the world we envision: one of expanded opportunity, where crises give way to resilience and all people thrive. In our new “Pass the Mic” series, our global staff share innovative ideas and in-depth insights on timely topics spanning the development, humanitarian and peace nexus. Learn how our colleagues are co-creating a more just, prosperous and equitable global community.

The post Pass the Mic: Reinvigorating Global Efforts to Reduce Maternal and Child Mortality appeared first on Global Communities.

This USDA investment builds on the successful 10-year partnership between the Government of Tanzania, the United States Government and Global Communities. In this phase of the program, Global Communities will coordinate activities that will benefit more than 355,000 Tanzanian school children, families, teachers, farmers and community members by improving literacy through school feeding. 

“By combining our efforts and expertise we can continue to help the next generation of Tanzanian leaders to reach their maximum potential.”

Nick Ford, Program Director, Global Communities Tanzania

Jewel Bronaugh, USDA deputy secretary officiated the launch of the program together with Tanzania’s Minister of Education Science and Technology and Minister of Agriculture.   

Deputy Secretary Bronaugh said the program will boost learning outcomes for participating students and open greater opportunities for them.

“The value of the McGovern-Dole school feeding program in Tanzania and USDA’s enthusiasm for it cannot be understated,” Bronaugh said. “USDA has been providing technical, financial, and in-kind assistance for school meals and education programs in Tanzania since 2010. We are pleased to provide this timely assistance and to continue this important collaboration.”  

At the launch, Nick Ford, Global Communities Program Director in Tanzania celebrated the USDA-Global Communities partnership. 

“We can rejoice in what has been achieved in the past 10 years and celebrate the amazing opportunity we have in the future,” he said. “By combining our efforts and expertise we can continue to help the next generation of Tanzanian leaders to reach their maximum potential. This partnership between the Government of Tanzania, the United States Government and Global Communities can create a sustained impact for the overall education outcomes of primary school students.” 

About USDA’s McGovern-Dole Program:  

The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition project in Tanzania is an integrated school feeding program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and implemented in close collaboration with the Government of Tanzania and many communities in the Mara Region. Since 2010, the USDA has provided more than $67 million to schools in Mara Region to improve student nutrition, literacy, sanitation and school attendance. It has benefited over 200,000 students at 231 primary schools through an integrated package of interventions to improve students’ literacy outcomes, enhance their overall educational performance and improve students’ health and nutrition practices. Learn more.

The post Global Communities Tanzania Partners with USDA to Boost Literacy Rates through School Feeding Program appeared first on Global Communities.

We chatted with Paulina Rudnicka, Senior Technical Advisor for Gender Integration at Global Communities, about the launch of the Digital Savings Group (DSG) Hub, a new online learning and community platform aimed at facilitating thoughtful, safe and inclusive digitization of savings groups.  

Learn more about how this project, which is funded by the FAHU Foundation and implemented by Global Communities, can help support savings groups members and practitioners on their digitization journeys.

The savings group landscape is quickly evolving, with many foregoing traditional paper-based systems. How can the DSG Hub help those who are planning, implementing, studying and developing technology for DSGs?

In the past decade, stakeholders have implemented a range of digital solutions in savings group projects around the world, generating helpful tools and lessons learned. However, this information is not always easily available. The free DSG Hub is a dynamic learning and community platform where individuals can find high-quality resources, share candid insights, and learn from successes and shortcomings in the sector.  

The intention is to inspire, but not push for, innovation. We want stakeholders to make informed decisions ensuring a safe, inclusive and truly valuable outcome for members by weighing the benefits against the potential risks and costs. If someone using the Hub discovers that digitization is not a right choice for their savings group at this time, we consider this a success, too.       

Is the Hub complicated to use for those new to digital resources?

The DSG Hub is very user-friendly, with information arranged in a cohesive and intuitive way. The resources are organized into three user journeys: “Get Started with Digital Technology”; “Implement Digital Savings Group Projects”; and “Examine Learning and Evidence.” Each subpage (Resources, Blog, and Community) features a prominent search bar, with carefully crafted filters and tags for ease of use. The Home page gives users easy access to our newest resources and updates.   

"...If not done right, digitization can have negative consequences for women’s ability to benefit from savings groups due to access constraints by rigid gender norms, unequal power dynamics and resource limitations."

Paula Rudnicka

Sr. Technical Advisor for Gender Integration

Three new resources have also been developed: the DSG Glossary explaining key concepts and terms; the DSG Toolkit; and a DSG Technology Solutions Overview. What will implementers find in the toolkit and how will it support gender-responsive digitization?

Our research shows that if not done right, digitization can have negative consequences for women’s ability to benefit from savings groups due to access constraints by rigid gender norms, unequal power dynamics and resource limitations. We have developed the DSG Toolkit with seven tools to support gender-responsive digitization. There is a tool for “Promoting Women’s Digital Capabilities,” a tool on “Addressing Risks of Gender-based Violence” and a series of “Digital User Dialogues” for use directly with savings group members. We strongly believe that the toolkit will help make DSGs more accessible to all; however, leveling the playing field will require intersectional, transformative approaches and significant investments in systemic change by a wide range of actors. 

You are hosting an event on June 23. It will feature a fireside chat with DSG experts from organizations including Women for Women International, Grameen Foundation, Mercy Corps and Catholic Relief Services. What will participants learn?

We are very excited about this discussion. The panelists will explore key benefits, costs and challenges of digitization, including gender constraints, and suggest steps that the savings group sector needs to take before embracing a widespread digital transformation. Participants can expect to learn how to digitize more effectively, how to weigh pros and cons, and how to avoid pitfalls along the way. 

The event will also include a virtual networking Hopin session where they can participate in a 3- to 6-minute individual conversation with other attendees. What’s the goal of this session?

One of our goals is to build a dynamic and enthusiastic community of practice around the DSG Hub. As we note in our DSG Glossary, DSGs lie at the intersection of savings groups, financial inclusion and technology. We want to provide a space for these stakeholders to connect, share knowledge, and perhaps even plant seeds for future collaboration. Having honest, one-on-one conversations will help all of us in the sector build relationships and common understanding of DSG concepts. A savings group implementer and a technology provider may begin exploring the feasibility of adopting a digital solution to a new project, while two researchers may discuss evidence emerging from DSG implementation.      

"Smart and gender-intentional digitization can help accelerate the benefits of savings groups for women by expanding their digital identities, bridging the gap to formal financial services and facilitating their participation in the economy. There is no other central repository like this on the market right now, nor other initiatives offering a community space where actors from across the industry can connect, learn and network."

Paula Rudnicka

Sr. Technical Advisor for Gender Integration

How will the DSG Hub move the sector forward in terms of the future of savings groups and their impact on women’s economic empowerment?

Knowledge is power.  

Reinventing the wheel is costly, inefficient and risky. If implementers and developers keep piloting or scaling DSG solutions without learning from past projects and each other, they will repeat mistakes and make poor investments.  

Smart and gender-intentional digitization can help accelerate the benefits of savings groups for women by expanding their digital identities, bridging the gap to formal financial services and facilitating their participation in the economy. There is no other central repository like this on the market right now, nor other initiatives offering a community space where actors from across the industry can connect, learn and network. We see the Hub as a connective tissue in this space, and we hope that it will serve as a global destination for anyone planning, implementing and studying DSGs for many years to come. 

Global Communities is an international non-profit organization that brings together local ingenuity and global insights to create solutions that save lives, advance equity and secure strong futures.  

The success of the DSG Hub will depend on support from our community members. I would like to encourage everyone to visit the Hub, register as members, contribute resources and share feedback. My team and I can be reached at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you! 

Paulina (Paula) Rudnicka (she/her) is a gender specialist with two master’s degrees in law and over 17 years of experience in international development and human rights fields. Currently, Paula manages the DSG Hub project and serves as a Sr. Technical Advisor for Gender Integration at Global Communities, where she works on a variety of programs addressing poverty, gender digital divide and inequitable access to finance and economic opportunity. Previously, Paula worked at the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) as a Legal Analyst and then Sr. Gender & Inclusion Advisor. Paula is an avid researcher and writer, and she holds a Professional Certificate in Social Impact Storytelling. 

This content is part of Future Forward, a thought leadership and storytelling series on how Global Communities is driving change to save lives, advance equity and secure strong futures. To learn more, visit globalcommunities.org/futureforward.

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In Sub-Saharan Africa, the concept of gender equality remains abstract and farfetched. In this day and age, there are still girls and young women who lack access to primary and secondary school due to social, cultural, religious or political reasons; who are not yet reached with comprehensive information on their sexual and reproductive health; who are on the brink of despair due to mental health challenges and trauma; who stare at all forms of violence daily; who die as a result of AIDS-related causes; who face stigma and discrimination; who experience motherhood in childhood; who are in sex work as a primary mode of income generation; who lack confidence skills and remain fearful of venturing into leadership positions; who are excluded from economic opportunities; who are lost, off-track, invisible and completely silent; and who get infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and many others.  

It is no wonder that despite substantial declines in the number of new HIV infections in general populations, the epidemic among females aged 15–24 in sub-Saharan African countries remains uncontrolled, with 5,000 young women in that age group becoming infected weekly and six in seven new infections occurring among 15–19-year-old teens, according to UNAIDS’s HIV Global HIV & AIDS statistics Fact Sheet. HIV prevalence for female youth aged 15–24 is consistently higher than their male counterparts with Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) up to 14 times more likely to become HIV-infected than their male counterparts in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, according to a 2017 UNAIDS report.  

Gender equality is a right and sits cardinal in securing futures of adolescent girls and young women. Fulfilling this right is the best chance we have at keeping girls and women safe, free from HIV infections and meeting their social and life goals. That is why over the last few years, Global Communities remains on the frontline centering adolescent girls and young women aged 10-24 years in Botswana, Zambia, Rwanda and Kenya in the quest to prevent new HIV infections. Collaborating with national and regional governments, local civil society organizations (CSOs), private and faith-based sectors, Global Communities has reached approximately 60,570 AGYW aged 10-24 years in Sub-Saharan Africa with a comprehensive package of interventions combining evidence-based approaches that go beyond the health sector to sustainably and directly address structural drivers and biases that increase the risk of HIV.  

In many societies, public spaces are occupied mainly by men, and places to meet are limited for women and girls. We recognize this at Global Communities, and to offset this, we implement the Safe Space model for social asset building, delivery of key comprehensive HIV prevention information and mentorship with a view to empower adolescent girls and young women. This approach helps to reduce their risk, strengthen their families, mobilize communities for change and reduce the risk of men who are likely to be sex partners of AGYW.  

As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day, we reflect on our collective action to keep girls and young women safe and mentored and to empower them to occupy the frontline positions in preparing for and securing their own futures.  

Written by: Betty Adera, Senior Technical Advisor for HIV/AIDS and Health 

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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought discussions of domestic violence and abuse of women and girls into the global public discourse. As I have worked in the space of adolescent girls and young women’s health and well-being at the community level for more than 20 years, stories of violence against women and girls are all too familiar to me. Globally, one in three women experience sexual or physical violence. What makes this statistic even more somber is that the abuse is frequently committed by an intimate partner.

Over the years, Global Communities has implemented prevention programs on violence against women and girls in Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Botswana and Tanzania, where — as in most other countries — men hold the preponderance of power in families, communities, workplaces, institutions and politics. The reality of this power imbalance means that men are the main perpetrators of violence against women and girls, as well as boys and other men. 

Shifting the Focus

For a long time, efforts to prevent gender-based violence (GBV) focused mainly on women and girls. Women were either victims or survivors who needed to be protected, educated and empowered to stand up for their human rights. While this approach remains critical in the fight against GBV, we must shift the focus of our efforts to men as well. When we frame GBV as a women’s issue, the central role of men is obvious. But viewing the role of men solely in these terms creates a polarizing and unhealthy dichotomy. 

Men who abuse women need to be recognized as perpetrators and held accountable for their crimes, but we must not villainize all men as a consequence. Men can be recruited and trained as allies and advocates in the prevention of violence. By teaching men and boys how to examine long-held social norms and belief systems that tell them it is okay to hurt women, we can start to change attitudes and behaviors — not just among individual men but among communities as a whole.

Male Agents of Change

Global Communities is currently implementing a program in Botswana, and previously in Kenya and Rwanda, that reduces new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women aged 10-24 years old and keeps them safe from violence. Gender-based violence has been linked to the rise of HIV among young women in these countries — women between 15 and 24 years old are four times more likely to be infected than men in the same age group.

The goal of the DREAMS Initiative is to help girls develop into Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe women. With funding from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Global Communities works directly with adolescent girls and young women between 10 and 24 years old in some of the most vulnerable and under-resourced communities. The DREAMS Initiative works to strengthen their skills and knowledge regarding healthy sexual behaviors including abstinence and delayed sexual debut, prevention of gender-based violence, drug and alcohol abuse and positive health-seeking behaviors.

But because working with women and girls is only half of the story, DREAMS is also engaging with men and boys to change their attitudes and behaviors toward women. Efforts include reducing the risk of HIV among male sexual partners through awareness building, linkage and referrals to HIV testing and treatment services, voluntary medical male circumcision, and STI screening and treatment.

Global Communities also employs Start, Awareness, Support, Action (SASA!), an evidence-based intervention that uses a community mobilization approach to prevent violence against women and girls by addressing the power imbalance between women and men. It is worth noting that meaningful and constructive male engagement is also about getting boys and men to reflect on how violence and rigid gender norms around masculinity also harm them. That is critical to transforming violent behavior.

Through these efforts, Global Communities has not only reached boys and men to discuss violence against women but other topics as well, including positive parenting and fatherhood, HIV prevention, substance abuse and how non-violence is a healthier way to achieve peace and stability within families and communities. 

Transforming Gender Norms

A big part of what Global Communities is trying to do by engaging men and boys is to transform deeply ingrained gender norms. We are asking these men to look at the social construction of masculinity —the beliefs, attitudes and messages that are being reinforced in their communities — and to challenge harmful definitions of manhood. That is why we must recruit and train individual men to change their beliefs and behaviors so we can instill those same changes in the wider community. Men who have been transformed can influence their peers to change their behaviors as well and not just refrain from violence themselves, but also become advocates against gender-based violence (GBV) in their homes and communities.

Through DREAMS, we provide training to boys aged 10-17 years old. The aim is to reach younger boys before GBV becomes an accepted part of their lives, so that they can recognize, learn and prevent violent behavior against women and girls. We also work to socialize boys so that they can navigate important life topics in addition to GBV, including sexual health, drugs, education and how to end long-time cycles of violence. These trainings offer men and boys a different model for masculinity that does not involve the denigration of women — a model that eschews violence in all forms, rejects the notion of male sexual entitlement and discourages harmful behaviors. 

Men and Women Working Together to End GBV

Empowering women and girls socially, economically and psychologically to live lives free of violence is critical to ending GBV. But while the advocacy and action of women is paramount in changing societal attitudes and securing true gender equality, men and boys also have a critical role to play. Violence against women touches us all, regardless of gender, so we must work together to ensure all people can live safe, empowered and resilient lives. 

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A Model for Nationwide Scale 

Given the success of PCI’s school feeding projects in the Mara Region, the GoT requested PCI’s support to develop the country’s first National School Feeding Guideline (NSFG) and scale PCI’s current model across all 20,000 public and private schools in Tanzania. PCI served as the ministries’ key technical partner during a thorough and consultative process, which included Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elders and Children, and other stakeholders, development partners and technical specialists.

Representatives from various GoT ministries visited existing school feeding programs in seven regions, including PCI-supported schools in the Mara Region, to collect data and conduct interviews, focus group discussions and surveys to inform the design of the NSFG. In October 2018, the MoEST and PCI hosted a coordination meeting to exchange best practices and learn from key partners and stakeholders nationwide.

“The Government of Tanzania understands that the NSFG documents are in line with the UN Rights of the Child under Article Four on the protection of rights,” said Dr. Lyabwene Manyirika Mutahabwa, MoEST Commissioner for Education. “As for the government, we will ensure an environment where children can learn, grow healthily and reach their full potential.”

Through PCI’s focus on enhanced local production and mobilization of community contributions, FFE III and Chakula Chetu strengthened the capacity of schools and communities to build self-reliance and gradually take responsibility to manage and sustain school feeding. This has led to better learning environments and improvements in students’ attendance, concentration, literacy skills, nutritional status and overall academic performance. These innovative programs have also equipped schools to manage food storage, train and mentor school administrators to supervise school feeding appropriately, engage local government structures to support and monitor school feeding, and mobilize communities to own and contribute to their school feeding programs.

For example, the community surrounding Sanzate Primary School was reluctant to contribute food to schools when PCI first introduced the school feeding program there in 2011. However, after engaging parents, farmer groups and women’s savings groups on program sustainability and ways to plan and coordinate their efforts, community contributions began to increase and the partnership between the school and community strengthened. By the time U.S.-donated commodities phased out in 2020, Sanzate Primary School was able to take full ownership of the provision of daily school meals through contributions from parents and community members and harvests from school gardens and farms.

“If the community, school and village government all work together as a team, the success must be realized,” said a village chairperson in Sanzate.

Launching Tanzania’s First National School Feeding Guideline

In March 2021, the MoEST approved the NSFG, which is now ready to be launched nationwide. The NSFG provides uniform guidance for schools, communities and the local government to develop, coordinate and oversee school feeding programs. Key components of the NFSG include:

1. The importance of school meals;
2. School management of the school feeding program;
3. Responsibilities of various actors such as government officials, school administrators, teachers and community members;
4. Mobilization for community ownership and local contributions; and
5. Use of the data management system.

“The National School Feeding Guideline is timely and vital,” said Dr. Paulina Mkonongo, director of basic education at the MoEST. “It is tailored to accommodate locally available food produced across the country and is structured to reflect our context. This guide provides room for implementers to adapt and operationalize the school feeding efforts in any particular environment in Tanzania.”

Developing a Regional School Feeding Strategy

In 2020, using PCI’s projects as a model, the Mara Regional Administration began the process of developing its Mara Regional School Feeding Strategy (MRSFS) and requested PCI to serve as its key technical partner in supporting the development and operationalization of the strategy. In February 2021, the MRSFS was approved and will guide the rollout of school feeding programs in all eight districts of the Mara Region. The Mara Region is the first region in Tanzania to have its own school feeding strategy, and Mara Regional leadership is committed to developing school feeding programs similar to FFE III and Chakula Chetu into a sustainably integrated part of their regional strategy.

“With or without PCI, school feeding programs in the Mara Region must continue to be implemented, and it will be our main agenda,” said Adam Malima, Mara Regional Commissioner.

Supporting Rollout and Replication

The development of Tanzania’s first NSFG and regional school feeding strategy represents a historical step in the country’s journey to achieving a National School Feeding Program. PCI will support the President’s Office, Regional and Local Government to plan and execute national rollout of the NSFG and carry out operational guidance under the MRSFS to replicate quality and locally-owned school feeding programs nationwide, thus ensuring schools continue to benefit even after PCI and USDA support ceases.

The post Strengthening School Feeding Systems in Tanzania appeared first on Global Communities.

Since 2001, PCI, a Global Communities Partner, has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement 16 McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) and 3 Local and Regional Food Aid Procurement programs. Combined, they have reached over 1 million students with important water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) improvements as well as nutritious school meals and literacy education. PCI currently implements three McGovern-Dole projects in Tanzania, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

“My children had been missing afternoon school lessons as they were required to support their mother to fetch water for our domestic use,” said Robert Manyama, a father of students attending one of the program schools in Tanzania’s Mara Region. “Now, they do not need to walk long distances for water. Thanks to PCI for their water systems project.”

WASH activities in PCI’s McGovern-Dole projects aim to improve knowledge and increase use of health and hygiene practices, increase access to clean water and sanitation services, and strengthen the capacity of WASH committees and community members to locally own, manage and sustain access to WASH services.

A total of 242,690 students benefit from 238 wells or water stations/systems that have been rehabilitated or built through PCI’s current projects. In addition, 1,078 schools now use an improved water source.

“I work with preschool and first grade. Previously, we did not have a hand-washing station, but we knew that it is a very important practice,” said Alfredo Martín Francisco Joaquín, a teacher at Gelna Primary School in Guatemala. “Now, we have one and the children wash their hands properly. Today, it is more important according to the suggestions of the Ministry of Health.”

Given the current pandemic, PCI’s WASH interventions are especially important in promoting COVID-19 prevention practices and supporting local governments and schools’ readiness to safely reopen schools in alignment with safety protocols. For example, in Guatemala, PCI trained 4,333 students and 1,741 parents in COVID-19 preventative measures such as mask wearing, social distancing and hand-washing through audiovisual materials and messages shared via telephone and WhatsApp. Program staff also leveraged parent-teacher associations to spread COVID-19 awareness messages and lead health campaigns in their communities.

In Nicaragua, where schools have remained open during the pandemic, PCI has supported the installation of 2,174 low-cost Tippy Taps to promote hand-washing. Staff with the McGovern-Dole project have also leveraged Women Empowered (WE) groups to promote hygienic practices among families.

“If we have water, we have health,” said Andrea Blandón, a WE group member from Las Lomas in the municipality of Jinotega. “Water is useful for everything we do in our homes. If we don’t have water, we are in trouble.”

For a comprehensive look at how PCI’s USDA McGovern-Dole projects improve student access to clean water and increase the use of proper health and hygiene practices, download a copy of our School WASH program overview.

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