Women, Adolescent and Young Child Spaces: Experience from Typhoon Haiyan

1. Women, Adolescent and Young Child Spaces: Experience from Typhoon Haiyan World Breastfeeding Conference 2016 Colleen Emary, World Vision International

2. Source: https://youtu.be/t6EGn1tFQqU

3. Context • Nov 8, 2013, Category 5 hurricane, affecting 9 provinces • 6,000 dead, 4 million displaced • 800,000 pregnant and lactating women in need of nutrition assistance • 60% of health facilities destroyed • 50% of health staff impacted

4. Context • Over-crowding, lack of privacy, fear for personal safety. • PLW and U5s identified as ‘at risk’ – prioritized for assistance • Pre-crisis IYCF – predominantly breastfed, some mixed feeding. • WV response: multi-sectoral (food security, livelihood, health, WASH, education, shelter)

5. Women, Adolescent and Young Child Spaces (WAYCS) • Set up in initial phase of an emergency response to address unique needs of women, adolescents and young children • Services provided: support for IYCF, offering privacy; assessment of health/nutrition needs-referral for higher care; recreational/social space • Each space is contextualized to the community and disaster event • 14 WAYCS established post-typhoon

7. WAYCS activities post-Typhoon • IEC sessions on nutrition, health, hygiene topics • Breastfeeding and relactationsupport • Health and nutrition screening and referral • Psychosocial support • Capacity building of public health workers and community volunteers • Distribution of baby kits, breastfeeding kits, clean delivery kits, baby carriers, high energy biscuits • Services were provided to 1740 women, 665 adolescent girls, over 2300 children 0 to 59 months of age, 145 volunteers

8. Timetable Example

9. Evaluation • Qualitative evaluation conducted after 4 months of implementation (March 2014) • Objectives: • Assess change associated with WAYCS from beneficiary and community perspective • Assess how target groups benefitted • Identify challenges and areas for improvement

11. Methods • Methods: document review, key informant interviews, focus group discussions with 127 individuals in 5 villages • FGDs: mothers, health workers, community volunteers • KIIs: husbands/males, community leaders, rural health units • Standardized interview guides and questionnaires used

12. Evaluation Findings • Women • Self reported improved emotional well-being and increased knowledge and practice of appropriate infant/child feeding and caring. • Distribution of breastfeeding kits and baby kits freed up resources for other needs, and were an incentive for attendance • Men • Notable improvement in emotional state of wives • Wives applied new learned practices at home (shifting to EBF from mixed feeding)

13. “It was a nice experience. It provided an opportunity for interaction—even sharing with fellow mothers about our problems. Stress comes with motherhood; the sharing helped ease up our emotional burdens and in having peace of mind. It got better and better as the days went by.” Female participant in FGD in Ormoc City, West Leyte

14. Evaluation Findings • Community Leaders • Established a strong peer-support mechanism • Reduced time for ‘vices’, such as gambling • Noted long-term benefit ‘healthier children = healthier future’ • Rural Health Units • Complemented the services commonly provided by health centres such as pre-natal care and immunization. • Improved monitoring of malnourished children • Built capacity of staff and volunteers in psychological first aid, infant feeding and assessment/monitoring of child health status

15. “During the sessions, we encourage mothers to share about their worries and concerns. This helps lighten up their burden . . . and effective in preventing wrinkles, too.” Participant in the FGD for volunteers and BHW in Brgy. Bobonon, East Leyte

16. Challenges • Location of WAYCS – far for some (requiring transport), lack of easily-accessible toilets • Insufficient space, overcrowded due to high interest • Some confusion over beneficiary selection in the early weeks of response

17. Recommendations • Provide ongoing capacity building to HW and volunteers • Invest in capacity building for mothers, so they can teach their peers who were unable to attend • Vary teaching methods – more practical exercises • Utilize a vary of media for education sessions • More durable and larger space needed, including a separate space for play

18. Recommendations • Identify opportunities for more engagement with men • Participatory planning – taking into account caregiver responsibilities when setting schedule for WAYCS; ensure beneficiary selection processes/criteria are understood by all stakeholders • Include livelihood training • Include monitoring and reporting of outcome indicators

19. Acknowledgements Eureka P. Fuentes, Health and Nutrition Specialist, World Vision Philippines Claire Beck, Director, Global Technical Team, Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs, World Vision International Download World Vision WAYCS Guidance: http://www.wvi.org/health/publication/women-adolescent-and-young-child-spaces