A future free from stunting
The Growing UpUpUp or Stunting Free Villages programme helps create a healthy living environment for children in Sylhet, in northeast Bangladesh. This is one of the most challenging areas in Bangladesh, where over half of all children are stunted. Together with the parents, community, local male and female entrepreneurs and the government.
Raising awareness about stunting
In this programme we have used media to raise awareness, with a campaign officially launched by the Bangladeshi Ministry of Health and Family Welfare during the during the Dhaka Nutrition Fair in 2018, and by following the lives of three children in the area to communicate our message about the importance of tackling stunting in Bangladesh and beyond. We gathered evidence through research for better insight into what works and what doesn’t in encouraging long-lasting behaviour change for child health.
Combining WASH, nutrition and care
We tackle stunting by facilitating access to safe water, clean latrines and education on health, nutrition and safe motherhood, particularly targeting children under two, mothers, pregnant women, teenagers and schoolchildren. The integrated approach of Max Foundation combines WASH components (water, sanitation and hygiene) with nutrition and care (healthy diet and better care for pregnant women and young mothers). We’ve found this to be an innovative way to address stunting.
Partners
Village Education Resource Center (VERC), Royal Tropical Institute of the Netherlands (KIT), and RedOrange
