ToR - Longitudinal Cohort Study data collection and service assurance under “Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) program

TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR)

Longitudinal Cohort Study data collection and service assurance under

“Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition

(CMAM) program

1. Background of the Organisations

Vijayavahini Charitable Foundation (VCF)

Vijayavahini Charitable Foundation (VCF) is a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on a wide range of themes, including livelihood promotion, agriculture, sanitation, nutrition, education, skill development and conservation, among others. VCF has anchored multiple nutrition projects, including strengthening the ICDS system and promoting rice fortification. VCF implements and manages nutrition-related interventions across three districts in Andhra Pradesh, with support from Tata Trusts and TINI. VCF's intervention areas include Manyam Parvathipuram, NTR and Tirupati districts, considering the burden of SAM and MAM children and the opportunity to build synergies with existing initiatives.

Since 2018, VCF has been actively engaged in various programmes aimed at improving nutrition standards in rural communities across Andhra Pradesh. As part of its integrated initiatives, VCF has supported the transformation of over 280 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and provided training to 12,000 Anganwadi Workers. Additionally, VCF has undertaken interventions to address micronutrient deficiencies and collaborated with the Andhra Pradesh Government to supply nutrient-rich fortified rice to children and mothers through the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) and ICDS schemes.

Centre for micro Finance (CmF)

Centre for micro Finance (CmF), Jaipur ( www.cmfraj.org ), is a Rajasthan-based non-profit organisation established in 2007 to catalyse the growth of community-based microfinance and agriculture-based livelihoods. Since 2015, CmF has expanded its functional domain to include education, skilling, nutrition, water and sanitation. It works with multiple stakeholders, including government programmes and departments, non-government organisations (NGOs), banks, community organisations (especially Self-Help Groups and SHG Federations) and donors.

CmF currently serves as a technical partner to the state government's rural livelihoods and education programmes and Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (RGAVP)'s Food, Nutrition, Health and WASH (FNHW) interventions. CmF is also the implementing agency of Tata Trusts in Rajasthan. CmF has been implementing field-level interventions in Sirohi district since 2016 and has a district-level MoU with the Sirohi district administration.

During 2016–21, under its multi-thematic programme, the Transformation Initiative, CmF implemented the Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) intervention in two blocks, Abu Road and Pindwara, of Sirohi district, Rajasthan. Under MCHN, CmF made concerted efforts to improve health-seeking behaviour within communities and strengthen public health systems through capacity building of frontline workers (Anganwadi Workers, Helpers, ASHAs and ANMs), on-field support for effective awareness and mobilisation of health and nutrition services, and improved service delivery through Anganwadi Centres. As part of the intervention, the field-level team provided intensive support across 100 villages through onsite support for MCHN days, Poshan Abhiyaan, growth monitoring check-ups, immunisation, Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) meetings with women of reproductive age, community mobilisation activities, and training and technical support at the district level.

2. About the Programme

The programme aims to promote and institutionalize continuum of care for addressing acute malnutrition (viz. SAM as well as MAM) by leveraging combined protocol for acute malnutrition through both community and facility-based approaches in the system. This model has unified the treatment of uncomplicated SAM and MAM children into one protocol in line with recent CMAM/AMMA protocol released by GOI, simplified the diagnostic criteria, viz. Growth Monitoring (height and weight) based only and utilizes energy dense nutrient food supplement (EDNF).

The other areas of the project with a focus on prevention shall include: a) Institutionalizing a convergence matrix to efficiently leverage the network of AAAs (Anganwadi Workers, ASHA and ANMs) at all levels allowing them to work in tandem; b) Building capacities of AAAs to identify, screen, diagnose, manage and treat SAM & MAM children at the community level; c) Improving dietary intake of communities by building their capacities on mother and child nutrition practices and; d) Supporting national and state specific protocols for management of SAM by integrating community-based approaches.

The goal of the program is to achieve sustainable improvement in nutrition and health outcomes of children under 5years and women of reproductive age, with a special focus on most vulnerable populations.

Specific Objectives

To improve the quality and coverage of services designed to address acute malnutrition, including CMAM/AMMA, Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC), Home-Based Young Child Care (HBYC), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and National Health Mission (NHM).

To strengthen CMAM/AMMA implementation by incorporating ComPAS learnings and introducing cost-effective and locally available food-based interventions.

To promote intensified growth monitoring campaigns with an aim to test, trace and treat.

To improve the nutritional intake of communities by building their capacities on maternal, infant and young child nutrition.

For detailed information, please check the complete version of the RFP attached below.