Behavioral Changes through improving nutrition

Bangladesh Initiative to Enhance Nutrition Security and Governance

The European Union (EU) funded Bangladesh Initiative to Enhance Nutrition Security and Governance (BIeNGS) is a 54 months project aiming to improve maternal and child nutrition in six sub districts of Jamalpur and Sherpur districts through promotion of multi sector, pro-poor governance models and nutrition interventions. A consortium led by World Vision alongside HarvestPlus, Unnayan Sangha(US) and Institute of Development Studies(IDS) will implement this project; and BIeNGS will also have strategic partnership with the line ministries such the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture. The project is starting on  September 1, 2018.

BIeNGS will cover 342379 direct beneficiaries of which 93,087 under five children, 50,732 pregnant and lactating women, 44,735 adolescent girls and 153,825 extremely poor households.

Over the period of 4 years and 6 months, and with a budget of EUR 9.6 million, BIeNGS intends to achieve the outcomes below:

Outcome 1: Behavioral Changes through improving nutrition and hygiene practice amongst caregivers of children under 5 and adolescent girls

Outcome 2: Health system strengthening through increasing quality and utilization of nutrition services through pro-poor governance and capacity development.

Outcome 3: Productive and Economic Empowerment through improving household food production, consumption, income and equitable participation in household decision making.

Outcome 4: Social Accountability and Advocacy through improving efficiency and effectiveness of multi-sector coordination of local public and private nutrition stakeholders and locally informed nutrition advocacy.

BIeNGS has used different successful technical models and approaches in its design which are as follows:

  • Infant and Young Child Feeding(IYCF) which is also a government initiative through its Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW);
  • Social Behavioral Change Communication(SBCC): A strategy for influencing positive changes;
  • MenCare approach for addressing gender inequalities, norms and barriers;
  • Citizen Voice and Action(CVA) for governance adapted for nutritional advocacy and governance;
  • Bio fortification: Nutritional enhancement; high zinc rice, iron and zinc lentils
  • Local Value Chain Development(LVCD): supporting local producers, increase value and links to markets
  • Positive Deviance Hearth(PDH): cooking demonstration 
BleNGS partners