Surfaid PD Hearth project in Nias, Indonesia

A Community Based Health Program (CBHP) in Nias, Indonesia is successfully using the PD Hearth approach to address the issue of malnutrition. The project is funded by NZAID. As the Surfaid Nias program reports on their dynamic blog, "In April of 2009, NZAID conducted an end of program monitoring visit and feedback from the donor was all extremely positive and was seen as validation of the results now evident from the Pos Gizi (PD Hearth) sessions, the Nias team spirit and great collaboration with local communities."

 

One of the donors reported that, "It was super to see first hand the Community Based Health Programmes and the implementation of the PD Hearth approach.  It is a very dynamic programme and great to see the commitment of the villages in educating and improving the health of their children."

 

The Surfaid Nias project uses the PD Hearth approach, which they describe on their blog:

 

"In the Hearth approach, community volunteers and caregivers of malnourished children practice new cooking, feeding, hygiene and caring behaviors shown to be successful for rehabilitating malnourished children. Volunteers actively involve the mother and child in rehabilitation and learning in a comfortable home situation and work to enable the families to sustain the child’s enhanced nutritional status at home. The Hearth session (Pos Gizi) consists of nutritional rehabilitation and education over a twelve-day period followed by home visits to the caregivers by volunteers. After two weeks of being fed additional high-calorie foods, children become more energetic and their appetites increase. Visible changes in the child, coupled with the "learning by doing" method, results in improved caregiver confidence and skills in feeding, child care, hygiene and health-seeking practices."

 

 

To visit the Surfaid Nias Program’s blog, which tracks the progress of the program and features great information and videos about the project, please see links below.

 

Project Spotlight

 

PD Hearth Project in Indonesia

 

Sector: Nutrition

Location(s): Indonesia

Organization: USAID

From 2003 – 2008, USAID funded five international NGOs, (CARE, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Mercy Corps (MC), Save the Children US (SC), and World Vision International (WVI)), to implement Positive Deviance in Indonesia as part of food security programs. Together, the five NGOs reached 9,997 children across the country. Of this number, 59.6% gained 200g between admission into the program (Day 1) and graduation from the program (Day 10). Of 4,847 participants who were weighed again at the end of the month, 45% had gained the recommended 400g. Results differed slightly (but not significantly) between implementers; however, they differed dramatically between different communities.

For the full report, click here.