Quarterly Report: April–June 2019

Hilton Foundation, and PATH. The PPP aims to integrate ECD programming in Mozambique, focusing on improving child development outcomes for vulnerable children aged 0-3 years in targeted areas. To achieve these results, PATH combines innovation and technical assistance for strengthening nurturing care for ECD service delivery through health facilities and community-based organizations. The project's three-month no-cost extension (NCE) was granted by USAID upon the occurrence of Cyclone Idai, a natural disaster of unprecedented impact in the African continent that hit central Mozambique. PATH had two priorities for the NCE period: 1) to finalize the project's operational research study report and 2) to conduct the project's closeout event. During this quarter, the PPP team revised and finalized the project's operational research study report, entitled "Assessment of the Use of PATH's Early Childhood Development Monitoring and Counseling Materials in Maputo Province, Mozambique." The PPP team also collaborated with USAID/Mozambique and the Maputo Provincial Health Directorate (Direcção Provincial de Saúde [DPS]) to reschedule the project's closeout event to June 26 and to complete all preparations for the event to take place. The event was successfully conducted on June 26 and was hosted by Maputo's Provincial Health Director, Dr. Iolanda Santos. PATH showed a video to contextualize the importance of integrating nurturing care interventions for ECD in the health and social action sectors, and provided a presentation on the PPP's accomplishments, evidence generated, and legacy. In the reporting period, PATH continued to support the institutionalization of nurturing care interventions for ECD in the health and social action sectors with funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Highlights include: PATH drafting the terms of reference for the Ministry of Health's ECD technical working group, the creation of which was endorsed by the Department of Nutrition. PATH also provided technical support for the government annual work planning process, including participation in the planning meetings for the development of 2020 Social and Economic Plans (Planos Económicos e Sociais [PESs]) of the Provincial Directorate of Gender, Children and Social Welfare. PATH supported the Mozambique ECD Network in facilitating a training on ECD in emergencies and participated in regular ECD Network meetings sharing best practices on the integration of ECD in the health system. PATH also supported the implementation of the first-ever training on maternal depression, facilitated by the MOH and the Maputo DPS, as part of the maternal depression pilot to be conducted in eight health facilities of Matola and Boane districts. A total of 46 participants were trained, including MCH nurses and mental health professionals who work in the eight facilities. PATH provided financial and technical support for training seven district-level trainers on developmental monitoring and counseling, and for conducting replication training to 101 health facility providers in four health facilities of Matola District. PATH also trained two district-level facilitators on playbox activities in Matola District. PATH continued to provide financial and technical support to conduct district-level, integrated supervision visits on MCH, nutrition, ECD, and Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) in Magude, Manhiça, and Moamba districts. A total of $15,680.82 was expended during the quarter April – June 2019. The expenses for the quarter by categories include direct labor, fringe benefits, travel, supplies, sub-awards, other direct costs, and indirect costs. The total approved budget for the project is $1,499,447, with a cumulative expenditure of $30,334.46 as of June 30, 2019.