Building Social Capital for the Prevention of Malnutrition: The Nutrition Security Program in Haiti

Research has shown that social capital is positively associated with child nutrition. How best to harness social capital in low resource settings needs to be demonstrated.  In Haiti where high rates of poverty and malnutrition impede development, the USAID-funded Nutrition Security Program (NSP) is conducting behavior change interventions and providing livelihoods support by expanding community structures in 14 communes in two regions.  With 26.9% of the residents having no education and 33% only primary education, an empowering community-based approach is needed to addresses nutrition-inhibiting social norms.  Prior to full implementation, a baseline survey indicated that 80% of the residents were not members of any community group. Collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health, NSP is taking a comprehensive approach to engage a broad spectrum of the community. To date, 153 Care Groups were established, including 1,641 volunteer mother leaders who reach out to 18,365 neighbor women. 75 grandmother groups of 755 elder women; 79 fathers’ groups of over 800 men; and 83 youth groups of more than 800 young people are being exposed to nutrition, health and sanitation information and education.  NSP empowers communities to better access local health services and amenities. Families can diversify their diets from food accessed through community seed nurseries and goat breeding stations.  NSP engages groups in livelihood activities to improve household resources for health and nutrition.  Social capital provides pathways for diffusing information, providing social support and building a sense of community to collectively address nutrition and health of mothers and children.