Ecuador Advances a Transformative Model to Prevent Chronic Child Malnutrition

In Chimborazo province, Ecuador, the canton of Alausí is setting a precedent in the fight against chronic child malnutrition. In a context where 40% of children under two are affected, the municipal government chose to invest directly in early childhood in partnership with World Vision Ecuador.

The strategy focused on the first 1,000 days of life, prioritising five of the most vulnerable parishes and implementing a territorial, intercultural, and sustainable model led by the community itself.

In just two years, the results show significant progress. Eighty-one per cent of children born during the project’s implementation are free from chronic malnutrition. Additionally, 67% of those who had moderate or severe malnutrition improved their nutritional status, with many overcoming the condition entirely.

The process also strengthened community leadership. Twenty-two Indigenous women were certified as community mother mentors, providing home-based follow-up and support in the Kichwa language. In parallel, 17 community fairs were reactivated, linking nutrition with local economic development and household sustainability.

This experience directly aligns with the global SUFFICIENT campaign, demonstrating that ending hunger and child malnutrition is possible when local governments take leadership, community capacities are strengthened, and strategic investments are made in early childhood.

The Alausí case contributes to the regional conversation in Latin America and the Caribbean on how municipalities can lead sustainable and scalable solutions to prevent and reduce chronic child malnutrition, placing children at the centre of development.

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