Program delivery and household utilization from the perspective of caregivers participating in a micronutrient powder program in Sofala Province, Mozambique


The burden of anaemia and malnutrition among children is high in Mozambique. Among children less than five years of age, an estimated 43% are stunted and 64% are anaemic. Appropriate infant and young child (IYC) feeding practices are critical for child growth and development. However, only 30% of children 6–23 months of age consume food from the minimum number of food groups and 11% consume both the minimum number of food groups and meals associated with better nutrient adequacy and growth.

To address these issues, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), in partnership with Ministry of Health (Ministério da Saúde [MISAU]), Save the Children (SC) and Population Services International (PSI), and funding from the Government of the Netherlands implemented a project aimed at improving the nutrient adequacy of IYC diets in three districts of Sofala Province, Mozambique, through the delivery of micronutrient powder (MNP), called “VitaMais”,to children 6–23 months old and behaviour change interventions. Integral to the project is a process evaluation to explore factors that affected the program delivery system. 

The results presented in this report are based on focused ethnographic study (FES) interviews with caregivers who participated in the program. The objective of the caregiver interviews was to learn from their perspective about factors that facilitated or limited program delivery and adherence to VitaMais recommendations. Two additional reports accompany this report:

  1. a report of results of a population-based baseline and endline survey results which includes quantitative estimates of program outcomes, and
  2. a report of results pertaining to factors that affected processes related to program delivery.

Available by request to datasharing@gainhealth.org