As one of the world's leading international humanitarian organizations, CARE places a special focus on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and related maternal nutrition (rMN) practices and care. Better nutrition for infants and young children means stronger immune systems, less illness and greater cognitive and productive capacity throughout their lives.
Sadly, nearly 10 million children under the age of five die each year in developing countries, mainly from preventable causes. Over 55 percent of these deaths, roughly 6 million children, are directly attributable to malnutrition.
Maternal nutrition practices and related concerns also play a large role in the success or failure of pregnancy outcomes, and the survival and subsequent feeding of the infant. In order for women to have the best chance for a successful pregnancy and give her infant the best start for optimal growth and development, maternal nutrition must be addressed. Women need to be supported and empowered to claim their rights to provide for their infants with the opportunity to thrive.
The Child Health and Nutrition Team
The Child Health and Nutrition team at CARE helps give children under the age of 5 a better chance to survive by supporting their optimal growth and development. The team supports CARE country offices around the world to address health inequities that lead to high child malnutrition, morbidity and mortality. The team focuses on technical expertise in optimal breastfeeding; adequate and appropriate complementary feeding; nutrition during pregnancy and lactation; and the prevention and management of childhood infectious diseases.
The Window of Opportunity Program
The window of opportunity for improving nutrition is small — from before pregnancy through the first two years of life. There is consensus that the damage to physical growth, brain development and formation that occurs during this period is extensive and largely irreversible. Therefore, interventions must focus on this short period of time.
With this in mind, the Window of Opportunity Program works to promote, protect, and support optimal infant and young child feeding and related maternal nutrition practices by improving the enabling environment, strengthening health system support, and empowering communities and individuals to make optimal infant and young child feeding and maternal nutrition choices. This program focuses specifically on three technical areas:
- Optimal breastfeeding
- Adequate and appropriate complementary feeding
- Nutrition during pregnancy and lactation
The program's work targets seven countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Peru, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone and one additional country to be determined.
