The overall goal of the project is to significantly improve the nutritional status of women and children in disadvantaged regions of Vietnam through improving the quality of nutrition programs. In order to improve nutrition and health status of children and women in disadvantaged areas, this project will focus on strengthening the nutrition network, improving advocacy and CBC skills of nutrition staff at local level in order to implement effectively nutrition programs.
Up to now, the project has set up and equipped the operating network from central (NIN, Regional Institutions) to local level (10 provinces, 20 districts and 100 communes). The project has supported 10 project provinces to developed and get approved of the Plan of action for implementing NNS, as well as Multi-sectoral commitment on the implementation of this Plan. Training on project management and planning, monitoring and evaluation, communication and counseling, nutrition and gender. has been given to improve capacity for core trainers at central and provincial level. Follow-up courses for district and communal staff are being conducted till the end of 2007 by provincial core trainers. Nutrition communication and education are also reinforced through the development of materials and dissemination of nutrition messages via different channels of different levels. Twelve nutrition models with specific interventions have been designed and conducted in the 10 provinces. Three provincial Nutrition Associations in Quang Tri, Dak Lak and Kien Giang have been founded, aiming at the sustainability of nutrition activities in grass-root level. A training program for Bachelor in Public Health Nutrition has been initiated and will begin the first batch in 2008, contributing to local capacity building.