Quarterly Report: October – December 2018 for Health-SBCC/Health Communication for Life Project

The project, which began on September 6, 2016, aims to improve health-seeking practices and strengthen the capacity of the Government of Malawi (GOM) to lead social and behavior change communication (SBCC) programming at national, zonal, and district levels. The project focuses on eight health and development areas, including maternal, newborn, and child health, family planning, and malaria control. Key interventions include creative campaign development and testing, broadcast of radio programs, community outreaches through radio listeners' clubs and community theatre groups, and capacity strengthening for institutional partners. During the quarter of October to December 2018, the project achieved several milestones. Creative campaign development and testing based on life stage packages and targeted SBCC areas resulted in improved health-seeking practices. The broadcast of MnM Radio Programs reached a large audience, and community outreaches through RLCs and CTGs were conducted in various districts. The project also strengthened the capacity of the GOM to lead SBCC programming at national, zonal, and district levels. District-level SBCC coordination was supported, and the Ministry of Health - Health Education Section (MOH-HES) was facilitated to develop quality assurance and quality improvement tools. Documentation of SBCC innovations was also conducted. In addition, the project improved the use of data for decision-making in SBCC. The national SBCC M&E system was developed, and quarterly M&E technical review meetings were conducted. Audience feedback on exposure to campaign messages was collected, and data dashboards were developed. The project also faced several challenges during the quarter, including the need for technical support in response to family planning incidence in Machinga and the rollout of RLCs and CTGs in Machinga. However, the project continued to implement its planned activities, including the rollout of RLCs and CTGs in Machinga and the provision of technical support in response to family planning incidence. The project's achievements during the quarter of October to December 2018 demonstrate its commitment to improving health-seeking practices and strengthening the capacity of the GOM to lead SBCC programming. The project's focus on creative campaign development, broadcast of radio programs, community outreaches, and capacity strengthening has resulted in improved health outcomes and strengthened institutional capacity. The project's success is also attributed to its strong partnerships with implementing partners, including the Ministry of Health - Health Education Section (MOH-HES) and other stakeholders. The project's ability to adapt to changing circumstances and respond to emerging challenges has also been critical to its success. Overall, the Health-SBCC/Health Communication for Life (HC4L) Project has made significant progress in improving health-seeking practices and strengthening the capacity of the GOM to lead SBCC programming. The project's achievements during the quarter of October to December 2018 demonstrate its commitment to improving health outcomes and strengthening institutional capacity in Malawi.