Multi-sector collaboration to improve nutrition

Giving kids a stronger start to life

Stunting affects 162 million children globally and is visible when a child’s height is too low for their age. An outcome of chronic nutritional deficiency over time, the condition has long term health impacts for the individual as well as intergenerational impacts on human, social and economic development.

While there are many sectors working to address the immediate and underlying causes of malnutrition, a coordinated approach is required to make a sustained impact for healthy future generations. Evidence tells us we need to boost efforts in multiple sectors—including water, sanitation, education, family planning, agriculture, dietary diversity, child feeding and social inclusion.

Hamutuk is a multi-sector nutrition program bringing government and non-government organisations together in an effort to combat stunting in Timor-Leste.

Digital tools to strengthen coordination and impact

Hamutuk is a fit-for-purpose mobile app and online platform used to improve coordination, data collection, and sharing of social and behaviour change communication messages about nutrition, food security and COVID-19.

Hamutuk includes a nutrition resource library, enables promotion and distribution of government nutrition messages, while supporting the Government’s monitoring and evaluation efforts. Partners also receive training and support for their nutrition activities to aid coordination across sectors.

Collaborative technology

The Hamutuk platform is designed to help partners communicate, collect data, and access shared data and information. It provides a shared dashboard for partners to view their contributions to shared goals.

The app supports community-based partners at routine household visits and community events, enabling them to register household profiles, report outcomes, and share nutrition information with participating families.

Behaviour change

The Hamutuk app enables partners to share information with communities, including a combination of information cards, videos, and answers to commonly asked questions. The content amplifies existing evidence-based behaviour change messages from the government and partners.

Continuous evaluation

When using the app, partners can collaboratively record information directly from communities. This data is then used to develop future content tailored to identified needs - such as information on breastfeeding for households with infants, or adapting available information to meet the latest nutrition priorities for localised regions.