Manna Project's 1,000 Days of Difference program expects to serve over 220 high-risk mothers and children during the 3-year pilot period from 2017-2020

The 1,000 Days of Difference program is an integrated evidence-based pilot program that aims to improve reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) outcomes for high-risk mothers and children aged 0-2. The first 1,000 days, defined as the time period from conception to age 2, have been identified as a crucial window of opportunity for a child’s development. Research shows that proper nutrition and care during the first 1,000 days of life is vital for healthy development of the brain, body, and immune system.

The program specifically serves residents of Villa Guadalupe, a resettlement community of 4,700 in Managua, Nicaragua. In Villa Guadalupe, children suffer from high rates of diarrhea and pneumonia, the top two causes of child mortality in Nicaragua. Among 280 patients ages 0-5 seen in Clínica Médica MPI in 2017, 71% were treated for either diarrhea or pneumonia.

Additionally, although research shows that an exclusively breastfed child is 14 times less likely to die in the first 6 months than a non-breastfed child, and breastfeeding drastically reduces deaths from diarrhea and pneumonia, a 2016 study by Emory University found that only 35% of women in Villa Guadalupe exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months. Also, neonatal mortality is 50% higher for babies born to mothers under 20 years old, and the average age of first pregnancy in Villa Guadalupe is 16.

Through the 1,000 Days of Difference program, we aim to address these issues by eliminating unintended repeat pregnancies within 2 years, ensuring access to high-quality prenatal services, increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates by 15%, and decreasing the burden of diarrhea, pneumonia, and malnutrition within the first 2 years of a child’s life. Please help us support this evidence-based initiative. 

Or to donate by mail please send to:
Manna Project International
PO Box 536144
Orlando, FL 32853

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