The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
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Tanzania Nutrition - Tanzania

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A communication and mobilisation project was launched in Tanzania's Iringa Region to reduce infant and youth malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality. The strategy utilized indigenous resources to solve problems, with a basis in situation analyses being held in extensive village and town meetings. Local people were involved in integrating traditional and non-traditional communication to eradicate malnutrition.
Communication Strategies

Problem solving strategies were stressed at the village, district and regional levels. Education both horizontally and vertically was used (I.e. from village residents to politicians or to other villagers). Print material, newsletters, youth groups and films. A village health day once a month monitored growth, follow-ups and education of higher administration on actions occurred.
Development Issues

Child Health, nutrition, indigenous methods of communication, general health concerns
Key Points

The countries resources include strong support for improving human welfare, a long history of involvement of local research institutions and nutritional health and surplus food in some areas where malnutrition was common. Widespread operation at the grassroots level resulted in great success of the project.
Partners



Government of Tanzania, World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF

Sources

Toward a Symmetrical and an Integrated Framework of Norms for Nutrition Communication in Sub-Saharan Africa. C. B Pratt, I. Silva Barbeau, & C. A. Pratt. Journal of Health Communication. Abstracts, Volume 2, Number 1 January - March 1997