the 1,000 day project

JUN

E 2020

How a private company can partner with UNICEF to make a lasting impact

THE 1,000 DAY PROJECTA S H A R E D V A L U E PA R T N E R S H I P

CASE

STU

DY

© UNICEF

Since 2012, UNICEF has worked with the Government of Lao PDR, the mining company MMG Limited (MMG), and the local Lao Women’s Union (LWU) to prevent zinc and other micronutrient deficiencies in babies and children. The 1,000 Day Project – named for the most critical window of early childhood development – was initially conceived as a way to bring an unusually diverse set of stakeholders together to address an urgent public health issue. In the process, it also became a best-practice example of private sector partnership.

This case study outlines the partnership’s impact over its six years of implementation, how it is different from other investment programs, and the ways in which private sector stakeholders can replicate this type of investment in other developing economies.

SUMMARY

The 1,000 Day Project reached nearly 300,000 children in remote and marginalised communities over a six-year period. In provinces where the project was implemented, the proportion of children affected by stunting dropped by 25 per cent and the proportion of children receiving the minimum number of meals per day rose by 60 per cent. Over 5,000 health workers and volunteers were trained to provide support for families, significantly improving rates of immunisation and exclusive breastfeeding. The project was so effective that the Government of Lao PDR decided to adopt its approach in its national strategy, ensuring that early investments would continue to pay dividends for generations to come.

To make the 1,000 Day Project a success, each partner had to be willing to engage with a certain amount of risk. UNICEF and the Government of Lao PDR were responsible for vetting a prospective partnership with an extractives company, aware of the controversies that might result. MMG entrusted over US $2 million to UNICEF, an international organisation with which it had no prior relationship. And the Lao Women’s Union invested its time and energy into a multi-stakeholder consortium in hopes that global actors could help drive local progress.

The idea worked, and there were benefits for everyone involved.

PAGE 1 | UNICEF AUSTRALIA

One of our aims is to create enduring relationships and tangible social development outcomes. This is hard to do, and needs sustained focus, and I think you can only get this working in partnership. In UNICEF we found a true partner with the skills and capability to create real and lasting change.”

Troy Hey, Executive General Manager - Corporate Relations, MMG, 2018

A mother and her child with a box of SuperKid micronutrient powder

© UNICEF/Labrador

The partnership was built on the strength of a chance encounter.

In 2010, representatives from UNICEF and MMG attended a meeting organised by the International Zinc Association, a global industry network. Zinc is vital to healthy growth and brain development and is a key ingredient in nutritional supplements.

At the meeting, MMG and UNICEF discovered a number of synergies in their work. UNICEF was already delivering micronutrients in vulnerable communities in Peru and Nepal. It was recognised as a global leader on health and nutrition issues for young children and had a history of developing strong relationships with national governments. Meanwhile, MMG’s key commodities included zinc and copper, it owned mining operations in areas of the world with high rates of malnutrition, and it was interested in contributing to positive development outcomes in these communities. MMG was also eager to improve the reputation of Chinese-owned mining operations and to become a catalyst for wider change in the industry.

Most importantly, the leadership team at MMG was focused on social responsibility – but through a rights-based approach rather than a transactional model. MMG was not seeking to support a development project in order to legitimise their business operations; rather, they were interested in making the most valuable contribution possible to an entire society, as an essential part of their business plan.

Once an appropriate intervention was identified in Lao PDR, this principle enabled the partnership to withstand the many challenges that inevitably arose during project implementation. For instance, teams on the ground recommended that micronutrients be added to sticky rice, a staple food in Lao, but an unexpected chemical reaction caused the rice to turn blue during the fortification process, potentially undercutting community support and buy-in. Because MMG considered this issue to be part of the design phase, it never threatened to hold up the project; it was simply one more step on a shared journey, which was resolved through joint efforts and shared technical expertise. Over time, the partnership became one of the most important priorities for MMG employees and stakeholders, a representation of what the business wanted to be known for and what it stood for.

HOW IT BEGAN


A mother and her children attending an information session on healthy cooking

A local Lao Women’s Union volunteer demonstrates how to cook a nutritious meal

© UNICEF

© UNICEF/Noorani

ABOUTUNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund, the world’s leading organisation for children and families. Established in 1946, UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to ensure that every child has the opportunity to survive and thrive.

UNICEF believes in the power of collaborative efforts to catalyse change and has a long history of partnering with the private sector. As UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments, partnerships are a critical element of its ability to accelerate progress for children.

MMG Limited was founded in 2009 with the aim of becoming the world’s most respected mining company. Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, MMG is a mid-tier, global producer of base metals including copper and zinc. MMG is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEx: 1,208) and its majority shareholder is the China Minmetals Corporation (CMC). It aims to build wealth through developing its people, delivering benefits to its stakeholders, and partnering with local communities to encourage local capability and drive economic growth.


A mother feeds her child a specially prepared nutritious

meal mixed with SuperKid© UNICEF/Noorani

A tailored nutrition program for childrenThe period from conception to two years of age – the first thousand days of life – are critical to a healthy start. Insufficient intake of zinc and other micronutrients during this period can cause irreversible stunting, which can lead to impaired brain development, lower IQ, a weakened immune system and a greater risk of developing chronic diseases in adulthood.

In Lao PDR, a number of interconnected challenges make it difficult to meet the nutritional needs of very young children: limited access to essential maternal, newborn and child health services; socio-cultural attitudes to infant and young child feeding; availability of food supplies; and the physical and socio-economic environments in which children live. At the time the partnership commenced, 44 per cent of Laotian children under five suffered from chronic undernutrition. Many of these children were affected by micronutrient deficiencies.

The 1,000 Day Project responded by supporting the fortification of key foods with micronutrient powder while also facilitating access to nutritional and health care services, including counselling for families living in remote areas. By distributing micronutrient sachets containing 15 vitamins and minerals, including zinc, to families for household use, the project aimed to reduce the risk of stunting and establish a protective mechanism for very young children.

The micronutrient sachets were called ‘SuperKid’ and were introduced using an interactive, child-friendly methodology that increased the likelihood of family participation. To complement the nutrition intervention, the project also facilitated deworming tablets and vaccinations for children, along with hands-on education and information sessions for mothers, such as classes on cooking and age-appropriate feeding practices.

MMG prioritised vulnerable communities around its Sepon Mine operation in the country’s south, ultimately investing US $2.8 million in the 1,000 Day Project.

THE 1,000 DAY PROJECT

The key was to partner on a local and national need that was aligned to the Lao Government’s priorities. The work we have done is central to the Lao Government’s 2016-2025 core National Nutrition Strategy, which in turn is centred on the UN SDGs on food security, and health and well-being.”

Troy Hey, Executive General Manager - Corporate Relations, MMG, 2018

A graphic explaining how to use SuperKid, used in a health volunteer’s manual


ຝຸ່ນວິຕາມິນ ແລະ ເກືອແຮ່ (ຊຸບເປີ້ຄິດ) ແມ່ນຫຍັງ?

SARAVANE

ATTAPEU

HOUAPHANH

SAVANNAKHETTHAILAND

VIETNAMCAMBODIA

MYANMAR

CHINA CHINA

LAO PDR

Long-term health outcomes for children

A total of 287,333 children benefi ted from the project. In 2018 alone, an average of 260,130 sachets of SuperKid were distributed to children between 6-23 months during each quarterly round of outreach.

PROJECT RESULTS

“More than 1,900 health workers and 3,600 LWU health volunteers have the knowledge and skills to support caregivers with information and advice about infant and young child feeding during quarterly integrated outreach activities and at village level, where they interact directly with parents and extended family members. As a result, caregivers are more confi dent and willing to adopt recommended breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices and are using ‘SuperKid’ multiple micronutrient sachets to fortify their children’s diets.”

Karan Courtney, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Lao PDR


Boxes of SuperKid micronutrient powder containing fifteen essential vitamins and minerals for healthy growth

© UNICEF/Labrador

| UNICEF AUSTRALIA

Given the complexity of underlying factors, reductions in stunting cannot be directly attributed to the 1,000 Day Project. However, it is reasonable to assume that project inputs contributed to improvements in the nutritional status of children in the target provinces.

TRENDS IN STUNTING PREVALENCE IN 1,000 DAYS PROVINCES

REDUCED STUNTING: Nutrition data shows a reduction in stunting nationally, with notable improvements in target provinces, from 44 per cent in 2011 to 33 per cent in 2017, due to a combination of targeted programs including the 1,000 Day Project.

INCREASED BREASTFEEDING: The rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Lao PDR, including the target area, rose from 40 per cent in 2011 to 44 per cent in 2017. In particular, Saravane province saw their exclusive breastfeeding rate more than double from 28 to 64 per cent.

REGULAR MEALS AND DIETARY DIVERSITY: The percentage of children 6-23 months receiving the minimum number of meals per day across Lao PDR, including the target area, increased sharply from 2011 to 2017, from 43 to 69 per cent, although the percentage of children benefiting from recommended dietary diversity remained low at 45 per cent.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: 1,925 health care workers and 3,677 LWU health volunteers were trained in how to counsel parents on infant and young child feeding, including exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding and dietary diversity, and home fortification of food.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND POLICY: The project supported the Ministry of Health to scale up nutrition services across the country. The Ministry of Health is now assuming responsibility for the distribution of SuperKid, and the project approach has been adopted in the 2016-2025 National Nutrition Strategy, ensuring sustainability and continuity beyond the life of the mine.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

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30

40

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2011

2017

40

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54

43

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28

61

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Attapeu Saravane Savannakhet Houaphan

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Provinces

Nina is two years old and lives in a remote village in Savannakhet Province, near the location of MMG’s Sepon mine. Families living in distant areas like these may not be able to reach a health centre – so UNICEF outreach teams come to them instead.

Nina’s mother, Davanah, participated in nutrition counselling with health care workers and Lao Women’s Union volunteers, which encouraged her to decide to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of Nina’s life and to vaccinate Nina to protect her from diseases. She also participated in cooking demonstrations, and so Nina now enjoys a variety of nutritious foods including soup, fish, vegetables and rice, to which the SuperKid micronutrient supplement is added.

Davanah says that Nina has hardly ever been sick. Davanah is also expecting another baby and says, “I will follow the same advice I received from the health workers for my second child by breastfeeding for the first six months and then introducing other foods with SuperKid when my baby is a bit older.”

ໃຜຄວນໃຊ້ ຝຸ່ນວິຕາມິນ ແລະ ເກືອແຮ່ (ຊຸບເປີ້ຄິດ)?

23 ເດືອນ

6 ເດືອນ


Helping Lao Children to Grow Healthy with ‘SuperKid’

A STORY FROM THE FIELD

Nina, age 2, has her growth monitored © UNICEF/Labrador

A graphic from the SuperKidpackaging

• ACCELERATING IMPACT FOR CHILDREN, TOGETHER:Investing in children is investing in stronger, more sustainable communities. This performance-driven project has delivered life-changing health outcomes for children and their communities.

• STRENGTHENED REPUTATION FOR MMG:Partnering with a high-profile United Nations agency on a project that improved health outcomes for children lifted MMG’s reputation and international standing as an extractives company that ‘mines for progress’ and cares about the communities and countries in which it operates.

• GREATER EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT:The partnership created strong engagement across MMG by improving morale and giving employees a greater sense of purpose. Employees are proud of the initiative and many have chosen to independently support UNICEF’s work via workplace giving.

• A BESPOKE PROGRAM FREE OF USUAL CORPORATE KPIs: The 1,000 Day Project was developed in close consultation with all partners and given its own brand, which lent the project independence and a unique identity. With its focus on zinc, the project was a good business fit for MMG.

• VALUES, TRUST AND FLEXIBILITY LED TO BETTER OUTCOMES: The partnership was founded on common goals and values, enabling its success from the beginning and leading to greater outcomes beyond the nutritional impact of the

intervention. The long-term investment and relationship of trust, built over time, allowed the project to expand and also provided UNICEF with the opportunity to test and innovate, backed by the financial investment from MMG.

• A CATALYST FOR SUSTAINABLE CHANGE:As the project was developed in close consultation with UNICEF and the Government of Lao PDR, what began as a pilot initiative has now become part of the National Nutrition Strategy 2016-2025, creating a foundation for lasting change for children.

• PARTNERING WITH AN EXTRACTIVE REAPED REWARDS:UNICEF undertook its usual due diligence process and had to explore what a partnership with an extractives company would look like. Working through challenges together and being transparent and honest about business drivers led to a very successful partnership.

• A FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE COLLABORATION:Following the success of the nutrition project, MMG is now supporting a UNICEF water, health and sanitation project in Lao PDR, has contributed to UNICEF education programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and hasfacilitated engagement with remote communities inAustralia for UNICEF’s Children’s Report. Together, we are looking to collaborate on opportunities with a similar scale in other communities where MMG and UNICEF both work.

PARTNERSHIP RESULTSPAGE 8 | UNICEF AUSTRALIA

“MMG’s investment for the long-term and willingness to work with all partners to test, innovate and scale the program is what has made the 1,000 Day Project the success that it is. Most importantly, children in Lao PDR are healthier.”

Tony Stuart, CEO, UNICEF Australia, 2020

(A Bigger Purpose)

A group of children play ‘jam mu mee mon’ or ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’ in Saravane province © UNICEF/Noorani

Australian Committee for UNICEF LimitedABN 35 060 581 437Pyrmont NSW 2009Phone: 1300 884 233 | Fax: 1300 780 522Email: [email protected] | www.unicef.org.au

the 1,000 day project

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