ADRA’s integrated nutrition programs address malnutrition and build resilience through community engagement, education, advanced monitoring, and direct support. By empowering vulnerable populations with knowledge and resources, ADRA creates sustainable solutions that improve the health and nutrition of future generations.

Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) is at the core of ADRA’s community-driven approach to improve nutrition behavior. We use evidence-based strategies such as mothers’ and fathers’ groups and the Care Group model to promote optimal feeding, hygiene, and health practices among caregivers.

To ensure sustainability, ADRA equips community volunteers and health facility staff with infant and young child feeding (IYCF) counseling skills and monitors progress effectively. In addition, advocacy and support efforts focus on protecting and promoting breastfeeding through the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative and encouraging adherence to the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.

ADRA addresses malnutrition by prioritizing early detection with community surveillance systems designed to identify malnutrition at its onset. Targeted interventions then provide ready-to-use therapeutic and supplementary foods for children, as well as the neediest pregnant and lactating women. Innovative approaches—such as the successfully piloted MAMI Care Pathway for at-risk infants under six months—further strengthen these efforts.

ADRA empowers communities to sustainably combat and prevent malnutrition through complementary dietary improvements and diet diversity efforts via nurseries and homestead gardens, practical training in pest management, food preservation, sustainable gardening, and showcasing cooking demonstrations using locally available produce.

ADRA emphasizes nutrition surveillance through growth monitoring of adolescents, women, and children using mobile data tools. Capacity building is also central, with SMART training for staff and targeted research partnerships that improve data quality, analysis, and use.